Walid El Ansari a , Christiane Stock b a University of Gloucestershire

1. The association between educational achievement and alcohol use in university students: Findings from the United Kingdom Walid El Ansaria, ChristianeStockb aUniversity of Gloucestershire bUniversity of Southern Denmark

2. Background • The relationship between problematic alcohol consumption and academic performance is a key concern on university and college campuses. • Alcohol consumption has been negatively associated with academic performance. • Onlyfew studies have usedobjectivemeasures of academic performance. • Fewauthors have analysedwhetherfrequency of drinkingoramount of alcohol is more important in predictingacademic performance.

3. Aims • This study examined the associations between three academic achievement variables and three alcohol consumption variables (frequency of alcohol consumption, heavy episodic drinking, and problem drinking). • Which of the measures of alcoholconsumption is most influential? • Whichacademicoutcome is mostlyaffected by alcoholdrinking?

4. Methods • Data collection • Cross-sectional study among 380 university students at the University of Gloucestershire who completed a general health questionnaire. Their module grades were retrieved from the university computer systems • Alcohol drinking • Frequency of alcohol consumption in the past three months • Heavy episodic drinking (had ≥ 5 drinks in a row) in the past 30 days • Problem drinking (CAGE score) • Educational achievement • Students’ reflectionon their academic achievement (importance of achieving good grades) • Students’ subjective comparativeappraisal of their overall academic attainment (academic performance in comparison with their peers) • Actual module mark

5. Frequency of alcohol consumption P=0.04

6. Had five or more drinks in a row last month p<0.001

7. Problem drinking (positive answers in CAGE) P=0.04

8. Characteristics of educationalachievement

9. Regression models for three academic achievement indicators on frequency of alcohol consumption* as dependent variable *Frequency of alcohol consumption = from never to several times a day within the last three months

10. Regression models for three academic achievement indicators on heavy episodic drinking* as dependent variable *Heavy episodic drinking: frequency of having ≥5 drinks on one occasion

11. Regression models for three academic achievement indicators on problem drinking*as dependent variable * Problem drinking: number of positive answers in CAGE

12. Results • We found relatively strong negative associations between heavy episodic drinking and subjective measures of academic achievement (importance of good grades, academic performance relative to peers). • The other two measures of alcohol drinking (frequency of alcohol consumption and problem drinking) showed fewer associations with academic outcomes than heavy episodic drinking. • While alcohol drinking was related to impairments in subjectively reported academic achievement, we failed to find associations with objectively measured module marks.

13. Limitations • Sample size • Module mark may not reflectaverage grades • Selection bias (no data on students not attendingclasses) • Under-reporting of drinking, whileover-reporting of academic performance • Nocausalrelationships • Manyother (unmeasured) factors mightinterfere

14. Other factors Academicachievement at highschool Academicachievement at university Earlyalcoholuse Heavy alcoholuse • Otherimpairments • Sleep • Socio-emotional problems • Etc.

15. Conclusions • Alcoholmisuse, especially heavy episodicdrinking is verylikely to have negative consequencesonacademic performance. • Alcoholpolicieson campus and educational and normative campaigns for students arehighly relevant. • Future research shouldincludeprospective designs as well as objective and subjectivemeasures for academic performance.