Binge drinking and college students: An investigation of social problem-solving abilities

We examined social problem-solving skills and binge drinking among 286 undergraduate men (N = 90) and women (N = 196). The sample consisted of primarily first-year students (39%), sophomores (27%)Juniors (21%), and seniors (13%), with an average age of 20. The makeup of the sample was predominantly Caucasian. Men were more likely than women to be classified as binge drinkers, but women had less effective social problem-solving skills, generally. Women who were binge drinkers had less effective social problem-solving abilities than women who were not binge drinkers. Implications for interventions and prevention programs are discussed.