Group Alcohol Climate, Alcohol Consumption, and Student Performance

This study explored the relationship between group norms for drinking and two indicators of student performance. Based on data from 96 undergraduate students (mean age 22 years) living in 21 student houses, the multilevel hypotheses that (a) house alcohol climate is associated with student alcohol consumption, (b) student alcohol consumption is associated with student withdrawal behavior (i.e., absence from class), and (c) that student alcohol consumption mediates the link between house alcohol climate and student withdrawal behavior are supported. No link between student alcohol consumption and student academic performance (i.e., average grades) was found. Similarly, there was no empirical support for the hypothesis that house cohesion would moderate the relationship between house alcohol climate and student alcohol consumption. Implications for future research are discussed