Reference:
Barry, A. E., Whiteman, S. D., MacDermid Wadsworth, S. M., & Hitt, S. F. (2012). The alcohol use and associated mental health problems of veterans and student service members in higher education. Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy, 19(5), 415-425. doi:10.3109/09687637.2011.647123
Summary:
In this article, Barry, MacDermid Wadsworth, and Hitt examine whether student service members/veterans attending college drank alcohol more than civilian peers; and whether links between student service members/veterans’ alcohol use and mental health-related outcomes differed from civilian students. The authors studied 145 student service members/veterans and 136 civilian students attending 16 different higher education institutions within one Midwestern state, and found that in general, the current sample of veterans/student service members drank similarly to younger, civilian students. The authors also found that compared to civilian students, veterans/student service members’ binge drinking was differentially associated to indicators of problem drinking and mental health symptoms such as depression/anxiety and PTSD. This research suggests that binge drinking among student service members/veterans was associated with greater problems, highlighting potential adjustment difficulties/risks.