ebook img

The Lived Experiences of High Achieving, Heavy Drinking College Students. PDF

337 Pages·2014·1.36 MB·English
Save to my drive
Quick download
Download
Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.

Preview The Lived Experiences of High Achieving, Heavy Drinking College Students.

ABSTRACT BACHENHEIMER, AARON. Being Smart and Social: The Lived Experiences of High Achieving, Heavy Drinking College Students. (Under the direction of Dr. Joy Gayles.) Studies showing the pervasiveness of college student drinking and the multitude of serious negative consequences as a result of this consumption have left researchers calling student abuse of alcohol “the single most serious public health problem confronting American colleges” (Wechsler, Dowdall, Maenner, Gledhill-Hoyt, & Lee, 1998, p. 57) and higher education professionals searching for a solution (Ham & Hope, 2003; Hingson et al., 2009; Osberg et al., 2010; Perkins, 2002a; Wechsler & Nelson, 2008; White & Hingson, 2014). Within the wide-ranging field of research on alcohol and college students, we have learned very little about the drinking experiences of high-ability students; specifically how they drink, why they drink, and what role drinking plays in their academic experience. What we do know is that while the majority of the heaviest drinkers in college struggle academically, there is a smaller but meaningful sub-set of high achievers that are part of the heavy drinking college culture (CORE Institute, 2006; Moss, Chen, & Yi, 2007). The purpose of this study was to describe and understand, through qualitative research methods and a phenomenological approach, the lived experience of high academic achieving and heavy drinking, traditionally aged college students, at a highly selective research university. The central research question that guided this study was what is the lived experience of college students who excel academically and engage in high-risk drinking behaviors? This study employed a qualitative phenomenological design approach. Through in- person interviews with academically successful and heavy drinking college students at a highly-selective private university, several key findings related to academic and social identities, motivation to drink, and the process by which these students navigate their lived experience as an academically successful, heavy drinking student. This study has contributed new insight into a little understood phenomenon and has allowed participants to contribute their voice to a field largely dominated by quantitative research. By engaging in a qualitative and phenomenological study into a subject area with far reaching health and academic implications, researchers and practitioners now have an expanded understanding of this unique sub-set of college students and the various goals, challenges, and needs that inform their experience. © Copyright 2014 by Aaron Bachenheimer All Rights Reserved Being Smart and Social: The Lived Experience of High Achieving and Heavy Drinking College Students by Aaron Bachenheimer A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education Higher Education Administration Raleigh, North Carolina 2014 APPROVED BY: _______________________________ ______________________________ Joy Gayles, Ph.D. Audrey Jaeger, Ph.D. Committee Chair ________________________________ ________________________________ Alyssa Rockenbach, Ph.D. Sue Wasiolek, J.D. ii DEDICATION For my students, whose amazing potential to make this world a better place has inspired and challenged me. My professional purpose is to do all I can to create and influence the kinds of learning environments that will allow them to reach and exceed what they thought was possible. iii BIOGRAPHY Aaron Bachenheimer is a student affairs professional and higher education administrator with a career focus in the areas of leadership development and student organization advising. Originally from New York, NY, Aaron was raised in Chapel Hill, NC, and lived for long stretches of his life in Boone, NC, Jackson, WY, Oxford, OH, and Farmville, VA, before returning to Chapel Hill in 2009. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Appalachian State University, a Master of Science in College Student Personnel from Miami University (OH), and is completing his Doctorate in Education in Higher Education Administration from North Carolina State University. Currently, Aaron serves as Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life and Community Involvement at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to joining Carolina in 2009, Aaron worked at Appalachian State University as Assistant Director of Organizational Leadership Education and at Hampden-Sydney College as Assistant Dean of Students. He has worked in several other student affairs capacities including multicultural education, student activities, and orientation. In addition, Aaron serves as a Regional Governor and risk management education facilitator for Pi Kappa Phi National Fraternity, on the Board of Advisors for Orange County (NC) Habitat for Humanity, and on the Board of Directors for UNC Student Legal Services and Carpe Diem, a non-profit alcohol education program located in Chapel Hill, NC. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS While this experience has been a lot of fun and exceptionally interesting and rewarding, it has also taken a lot of time, energy, and enthusiasm that might have otherwise been directed towards the people in my life that I love and care for. I could not have reached this point without a lot of patience, support, assistance, friendship and love from more people than I can fit in these pages. To my dissertation committee—Dr. Joy Gayles (chair, advisor and #1 cheerleader), Dr. Audrey Jaeger, Dr. Alyssa Rockenbach, and “Dean Sue” Wasiolek—thank you for each contributing to my doctoral education in the classroom and for your insight, guidance and support that has allowed me to complete this project. I am very grateful to have had the chance to take a class from you, teach a class with you, work on a research project with you, or be advised in my educational and professional path by you. You have all made me a better thinker, writer, and professional. I look forward to calling you colleagues and friends for many years. To my Mom, Dad and Peg, Dianne, Rachel and Richard, Andy, Simon and Lilly, and the extended step-sibling crew—thanks for the many meals, notes and words of encouragement, and love you have given me. Your care and support has meant a lot to me not just during the last several years but for as long as you have been in my life and I in yours. To my extended family and friends, colleagues and classmates—thanks for the excitement you have expressed for this project even though you may not have always v understood what I was doing, and the insight when you did. It made a big difference to my mental state when you would say “that sounds so cool” when I was rambling on about my research. Finally, and most importantly, to my wife and partner in crime, Dorsey—you have certainly borne the brunt of my time away from home, and time at home locked up in the “office”. You have also smiled (mostly) through my diverted attention and energy, and that patience has been critical to allowing me to finish this without the overwhelming bummed- outness I feel when I do not get to play with you, go on fun trips with you, head out for a run with you, or just lay around with you and the dogs. I am looking forward to getting back to “being me” and our life together. I love you. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ viii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................ 11 Research Questions .................................................................................................. 13 Definition of Terms ................................................................................................. 14 Significance of the Study ......................................................................................... 17 Overview of Methodological Approach ................................................................... 18 Chapter Summary and Organization of the Study ..................................................... 21 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................. 23 Drinking and Academics .......................................................................................... 25 High Achievement ................................................................................................... 35 Cognitive Decision-Making Factors ......................................................................... 46 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................... 80 CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................... 82 Research Design ...................................................................................................... 84 Researcher Statement of Subjectivity ..................................................................... 100 Ethical Issues ......................................................................................................... 104 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................. 107 CHAPTER 4. PARTICIPANTS ........................................................................................ 108 Participant Summaries ........................................................................................... 110 Buck .......................................................................................................... 111 David ......................................................................................................... 114 Gilbert ........................................................................................................ 116 Hannah ....................................................................................................... 118 JT ............................................................................................................... 121 Katie .......................................................................................................... 125 Stephanie ................................................................................................... 128 Tommy ...................................................................................................... 130 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................. 134 CHAPTER 5. FINDINGS ................................................................................................. 135 Major Themes ........................................................................................................ 135 Development of Academic Identity as Smart .............................................. 138 vii Development of Social and Drinking Identity ............................................. 159 This is Why I Drink .................................................................................... 180 Navigating the Work Hard/Play Hard Philosophy ....................................... 206 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................. 241 CHAPTER 6. DISCUSSION ............................................................................................. 243 Discussion of Key Findings ................................................................................... 245 Implications for Practice ........................................................................................ 279 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 290 Limitations ................................................................................................. 290 Directions for Future Research ................................................................... 294 Closing Thoughts ................................................................................................... 297 REFERENCES.................................................................................................................. 298 APPENDICIES ................................................................................................................. 322 Appendix A—Interview Guide .............................................................................. 323 Appendix B—Informed Consent Form (2013-2014) .............................................. 325

See more

The list of books you might like

Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.