NCJ Number
156974
Journal
Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (1994) Pages: 17-31
Date Published
1994
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study explored the extent to which late adolescent, high- anger college students consume alcohol, become intoxicated, and experience different frequencies and severities of alcohol-related problems.
Abstract
A sample of 254 university students were classified as high and low trait anger groups based on their scores on the Trait Anger Scale. The two groups were then compared in terms of the frequency of their alcohol consumption and intoxication over the previous three months; the consequences they experienced in that period in terms of physical impairment, behavioral problems, and emotional problems; and the severity of the worst alcohol consequence they had experienced. The results showed that the high-anger students seemed to be more vulnerable to alcohol-related consequences. They also experienced more frequent and more severe physical, behavioral, and emotional problems, with very high rates of blacking out, fighting, and feeling like hurting other people. Anger added significant variance to alcohol consequences, even when the higher alcohol consumption of high-anger students was controlled for first. High-anger males were more likely to physically act out on others and property when drinking, whereas high-anger females reported more relationship damage during drinking. 6 tables and 26 references