Abstract

This exploratory study compares the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores among 134 students who received mental health services, seventy-eight students who received medical services, and a comparison group of ninety-two students who were enrolled in an introductory psychology class. This study describes the drinking patterns and risk levels among students who reported consuming alcohol. The sample included 60 percent female participants. The age range was seventeen to fifty-four years, with an average age of twenty-four. Seventy-one percent of participants were under twenty-five years of age. The predominant ethnic groups were non-Hispanic white (42%), Latino (27%), and Asian (18%). Results indicated that 40 percent of the sample reported abstaining from alcohol. Of those who abstained, 61 percent were under the legal drinking age (twenty-one in California). Among students who reported drinking, 14.3 percent of the males’ and 14.2 percent of the females’ scores met criteria for at-risk drinking. Non-Hispanic white students had significantly higher AUDIT scores than Asian American students. Latino students did not differ significantly from the other groups. Students in the general classroom group scored significantly higher than those in the physical and mental health groups. Clinical implications are provided. Areas for future research are outlined.