Family Warnings About Binge Drinking Can Influence College Students’ Alcohol Use

College students who hear warnings about binge drinking from family or friends are more likely to be concerned about their own alcohol use, compared with their classmates who don’t hear such advice, a new study suggests.

Researchers at Penn State’s College of Education found students who were not distressed about their binge drinking did not have other people who expressed concern to them about their alcohol consumption, Medical Xpress reports.

“On the other hand, when a friend or family member expressed concerns to a student about her or his excessive drinking, it can help the student reflect on their alcohol consumption and begin to take steps to reduce it,” lead researcher Jeffrey Hayes noted in a university news release.

The results come from data gathered by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, a network of almost 200 university counseling centers around the country. The study is published in the Journal of College Counseling.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about four out of five college students drink alcohol, and about half of college students who drink, also consume alcohol through binge drinking.