A measure of the intensity of response to alcohol in a military population

Heavy drinking and associated problems are relatively common in young men, including those in a military setting. This article explores characteristic s of alcohol intake and associated difficulties and their relationship to a self-report of the usual intensity of response to alcohol in a sample of U .S. Marines. Two questionnaires related to demography and alcohol use histo ries, along with a simple, 12-item self-report measure of the usual number of drinks to experience an effect (the Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcoho l, SRE) were administered to 1320 U.S. Marines. The sample had an average a ge of 22 years, 78% were Caucasian, and 92% were enlisted personnel. The re lationships and correlations among drinking characteristics and problems an d the usual number of drinks for an effect were determined. These subjects, drank an average of 6 days per month, consuming an average of almost six d rinks per drinking day, and reported more than three times per month in whi ch they consumed six or more drinks per occasion. Consistent with studies o f other populations, the SRE measures of intensity of response to alcohol s howed a positive correlation with both drinking practices and problems, wit h the latter remaining significant even after controlling for recent drinki ng practices. The prodigious level of alcohol intake and associated problem s, along with the SIZE scores, indicate that the Marine Corps personnel are at especially high risk for alcohol-related life problems. These data also support the potential usefulness of the SIZE both in identifying individua ls likely to have more severe alcohol profiles and in educating individuals regarding their levels of risk for alcohol abuse and dependence.