Master's Theses

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Date of Award

Spring 1992

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Social Work

Advisor

Bill Daley

Abstract

The purpose of the researcher was to investigate factors associated with alcoholism among college students. The independent variables investigated were gender, academic class, academic achievement, parental history of alcoholism, quality of family life, family structure, locus of control, and locus of drinking control. The dependent variable consisted of scores from the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (raw scores and categorized scores). The five instruments utilized were a demographic data sheet, the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, the Personal Attribute Inventory - Family, the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale, and the Drinking-Related Locus of Control Scale. The sample consisted of 215 students, 83 males and 132 females, from a university located in the Midwest. Four composite null hypotheses were tested employing analysis of variance (raw scores before categorization) and 8 null hypotheses were tested employing chi square test for independence (categorized scores). A total of 22 comparisons plus 14 recurring were tested at the .05 level. Of the 22 comparisons, 12 were main effects (4 from analysis of variance and 8 from chi square test for independence) and 10 were interactions. Of the 12 main effects, 5 were statistically significant at the .05 level. Of the 5 statistically significant main effects, 2 were from analysis of variance and 3 were from chi square test for independence. Of the 10 interactions, none was statistically significant at the .05 level. The statistically significant main effects were for the following independent variables: academic class, academic achievement (detected by both analysis of variance and chi square test for independence), gender, and locus of drinking control. The results of the present study appeared to support the following generalizations: 1. college students classified as juniors and seniors indicated a higher degree of alcoholism than freshmen and sophomores; 2. college students reporting grade point averages of 1.50 to 2.49 indicated a higher degree of alcoholism than those with grade point averages of 2.50 and greater; 3. an association between gender and alcoholism classification; 4. an association between locus of drinking control and alcoholism classification; and 5. no association between the following independent variables and dependent variable, respectively : parental history of alcoholism, quality of family life, family structure, locus of control, and alcoholism classification.

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Rights

© 1992 Gail S. Townsend

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