Determinants of Heavy Episodic Drinking Among University Students, an Application of the I – Change Model.

Introduction: Heavy episodic drinking (HED) is a major problem among Colombian university students. This study aims to identify the sociodemographic characteristics and motivational constructs, as defined by the I-Change model (ICM), associated with HED among university students in Colombia. Method:...

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Published in:International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 2703 - 2726
Main Authors: Mejía-Trujillo, Juliana, Candel, Math, Mercken, Liesbeth, Pérez-Gómez, Augusto, de Vries, Hein
Format: Article
Published: Springer Nature Aug2026
Subjects:
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Aug2026
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      pub: Springer Nature
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        10.1007/s11469-025-01529-8
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        atl: Determinants of Heavy Episodic Drinking Among University Students, an Application of the I – Change Model.
      aug:
        au:
          Mejía-Trujillo, Juliana
          Candel, Math
          Mercken, Liesbeth
          Pérez-Gómez, Augusto
          de Vries, Hein
        affil:
          https://ror.org/02jz4aj89 Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
          Corporación Nuevos Rumbos, Bogotá, Colombia
          https://ror.org/02jz4aj89 Department of Methodology and Statistics, and Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
          https://ror.org/018dfmf50 Open University, Heerlen, The Netherlands
      su:
        Colombia
        Binge drinking
        Sociodemographic factors
        College students
        Health promotion
        Motivation (Psychology)
      sug:
        subj:
          Binge drinking
          Sociodemographic factors
          College students
          Health promotion
          Motivation (Psychology)
          Colombia
      keyword:
        Alcohol consumption
        Heavy episodic drinking
        I-Change Model
        Medical and Health Sciences Public Health and Health Services
        Prevention programs
        University students
        Alcohol consumption
        Heavy episodic drinking
        I-Change Model
        Medical and Health Sciences Public Health and Health Services
        Prevention programs
        University students
      ab: Introduction: Heavy episodic drinking (HED) is a major problem among Colombian university students. This study aims to identify the sociodemographic characteristics and motivational constructs, as defined by the I-Change model (ICM), associated with HED among university students in Colombia. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 846 university students from three universities in Colombia. Participants completed an online questionnaire that assessed sociodemographic characteristics and psychographic constructs based on the ICM. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the data. Results: Heavy episodic drinking was more prevalent among male students, those with higher socioeconomic status, those living in their hometown, and those attending private universities in Colombia. HED was associated with lower risk perception, greater perceived advantages, and lower perceived disadvantages of consuming ten or more standard drinks. Students who engaged in HED also reported higher social norms, greater modeling and pressure from loved ones to drink, reduced self-efficacy in refusing drinking situations, and a stronger intention to engage in HED. Conclusion: Preventive interventions targeting university students in Colombia should specifically address the key sociodemographic and motivational factors associated with heavy episodic drinking (HED), as identified in this study.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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