From the eyes of the beholder: alcohol expectancies and valuations as predictors of hazardous drinking behaviors among female college students

Abstract

Research has shown that drinking expectancies are associated with alcohol use among college students; however, the bulk of these studies have focused exclusively on researcher-labeled "positive" or "negative" expectancies rather than on the student's valuation (i.e., rating of desirability) of these expectancies. The present study examined the utility of expectancies and valuations in predicting hazardous alcohol use in a sample of 330 female college students (mean age = 20.0; 18-25). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that negative expectancies and favorable valuations of negative and positive expectancies were predictive of elevated hazardous use (controlling for age, athletic membership, and peer use). Expectancy valuations accounted for additional variance in the model beyond that of expectancies. The present findings shed light on the utility of expectancies and valuations of expectancies in predicting hazardous alcohol use among female college students. Future research directions and potential implications for prevention efforts are discussed.