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In With the Old and Out With the New? A Comparison of the Old and New Binge Drinking Standards
Author(s) -
Corbin William R.,
Zalewski Suzanne,
Leeman Robert F.,
Toll Benjamin A.,
Fucito Lisa M.,
O'Malley Stephanie S.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.12514
Subject(s) - binge drinking , psychology , medicine , environmental health , suicide prevention , poison control
Background There is consistent evidence that the binge drinking standard of 5+ drinks per drinking occasion for men (4+ for women) is associated with risk for negative consequences. Yet, many have questioned the adequacy of this measure as an index of intoxication (e.g., a blood alcohol concentration [BAC] of 0.08 g%). In response to these concerns, a National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism task force recommended adding a time qualifier of 2 hours to this criterion. Although conceptually appealing, there has been little effort to determine whether this new measure better captures drinking that leads to negative consequences. Methods This study examined the new binge standard (2‐hour period) and old binge standard (no time qualifier) in relation to frequency of drinking to an estimated BAC of 0.08 g% and the experience of negative drinking consequences. These relations were examined within both a social drinking sample of adults ( N = 200) and a sample of heavy‐drinking young adults ( N = 168) participating in a randomized clinical trial for drinking reduction. Results Contrary to the purpose of adding a time qualifier, the new binge measure was not more strongly correlated with drinking to an estimated BAC of 0.08 g% relative to the old binge measure. In addition, when both measures were entered simultaneously into a regression model, only the old binge measure accounted for significant variance in negative drinking consequences. Conclusions These empirically based results suggest that the original binge standard without a time qualifier may be preferable to the 2‐hour standard as a marker for risk. The findings also suggest that further efforts are needed to identify a brief measure that effectively captures drinking to intoxication and related risk for negative consequences.