EFFECT OF RELIGION AND RELIGIOSITY ON ALCOHOL-USE IN A COLLEGE-STUDENT SAMPLE

Two hundred and sixty-three alcohol using college students completed a questionnaire on their levels of alcohol use, problems with alcohol u se, reasons for drinking, perceptions of control over drinking, impuls ivity, venturesomeness, irrational beliefs, neuroticism, expectations of alcohol effects, depression, social norms, religious affiliation an d intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity. Analyses of variance revealed t hat students with no religious affiliation reported significantly high er levels of drinking frequency and quantity, getting drunk, celebrato ry reasons for drinking and perceived drinking norms than those of eit her Catholic or Protestant religious affiliation, while no significant differences across groups were found for alcohol use problems. Protes tants reported significantly higher levels of perceived drinking contr ol than Catholics. Intrinsic religiosity, reflecting one's ego involve ment with the tenets of one's religion, appeared to play a more import ant positive role over drinking behavior for Protestants than for Cath olics. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.