Binge drinking in a sample of Scottish undergraduate students

This study investigated binge drinking in a sample of 62 undergraduate students at a Scottish university (48 female, 16 male) with a mean age of 20.9 years (SD2.3 years). Students completed questionnaires using the constructs of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and a further questionnaire 4 weeks later. Regression analyses found the TPB model predicted both intention to binge drink and actual binge drinking behaviour. Attitude towards binge drinking was a significant predictor of behavioural intention to binge drink. An additional variable, past behaviour, moderated the relationship between attitudes and intention, with attitudeintention relationships becoming weaker as frequency of past binge drinking behaviour increased. Health education focused on these TPB predictor variables is required to challenge the hard-drinking culture of Scottish undergraduate students.