Social media usage is a large aspect of the 21st-century lifestyle for university students, and alcohol consumption is a concerning part of university students’ culture. Many previous studies have explored the influence of social media on alcohol consumption in university
students, though no causal relationship has been identified. This research aimed to investigate the influence of social media content on alcohol consumption by examining whether students encounter alcohol-related content, how they engage with social media, whether social media influences their drinking and the situations in which they drink. Participants were invited to complete an online survey. Data was analysed using simple descriptive statistics. Findings indicate that students accessing social media viewed minimal alcohol-related content. This suggests that social media may not have as big an impact on the drinking behaviour as thought. Findings also illustrated that of the students who drank alcohol, the majority reported only occasional drinking (less than once a week), highlighting the low engagement in alcohol consumption amongst these students. The low response rate may account for this, as it is a possibility that, by chance, those who have a higher engagement with alcohol were not responders to the survey. Despite the limited alcohol consumption among the participants, there was a 50-50 split in participants who felt that alcohol related content impacts alcohol consumption and those who did not. The small response rate was a limitation of the study, and a larger study with a higher response rate would have allowed inferential statistical analysis and may have revealed more generalisable findings. Although this study’s analysis did not seek to infer a causal relationship, the findings align with previous studies, such as Atusingwize et al.’s (2022) study, which found that social media use is positively associated with alcohol consumption. This research contributes to existing literature by providing new insights into the drinking habits of students at the University College Jersey. The implications are that it is important to ensure support systems are in place for students to ensure they do not form negative relationships with alcohol. Additionally, a larger research project that is longer in time can connect with more participants and provide more meaningful results.
An exploration of the impact of social media on the drinking behaviour of students aged over 18 at University College Jersey
Social media usage is a large aspect of the 21st-century lifestyle for university students, and alcohol consumption is a concerning part of university students’ culture. Many previous studies have explored the influence of social media on alcohol consumption in university
students, though no causal relationship has been identified. This research aimed to investigate the influence of social media content on alcohol consumption by examining whether students encounter alcohol- related content, how they engage with social media, whether social media influences their drinking and the situations in which they drink. Participants were invited to complete an online survey. Data was analysed using simple descriptive statistics. Findings indicate that students accessing social media viewed minimal alcohol-Related content. This suggests that social media may not have as big an impact on the drinking behaviour as thought. Findings also illustrated that of the students who drank alcohol, the majority reported only occasional drinking (less than once a week), highlighting the low engagement in alcohol consumption amongst these students. The low response rate may account for this, as it is a possibility that, by chance, those who have a higher engagement with alcohol were not responders to the survey. Despite the limited alcohol Consumption among the participants, there was a 50-50 split in participants who felt that alcohol related content impacts alcohol consumption and those who did not. The small response rate was a limitation of the study, and a larger study with a higher response rate would have allowed inferential statistical analysis and may have revealed more generalisable findings. Although this study’s analysis did not seek to infer a causal relationship, the findings align with previous studies, such as Atusingwize et al.’s (2022) study, which found that social media use is positively associated with alcohol consumption. This research contributes to existing literature by providing new insights into the drinking habits of students at the University College Jersey. The implications are that it is important to ensure support systems are in place for students to ensure they do not form negative relationships with alcohol. Additionally, a larger research project that is longer in time can connect with more participants and provide more meaningful results