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Short-Term Longitudinal Peer Influence Processes Associated with Binge Drinking Among First Year College Students

This study examined the influence of peer selection and socialization effects on binge drinking (BD) behaviors during the transition to college. Participants included 196 first-year college students (72.9% female) from a large Southeastern public university who reported BD pre-college (Time 1) and three months post-matriculation (Time 2). At Time 2, participants identified their closest new college friend whose data was linked to the participant. We hypothesized that matriculating college students would select peers with similar pre-college BD and that peers’ pre-college BD would predict post-matriculation BD. Results from regression analyses suggested that first-year students chose friends with similar pre-college BD and maintain their BD commensurately with their new best friend’s prior BD. Given support for peer influence, implications regarding prevention strategies and future research are discussed.