Database_Effects of the COVID-19 mitigation measures on alcohol consumption and binge drinking in college students_A longitudinal survey_Vasconcelos et al_2021.sav

To “flatten the curve” of COVID-19 contagion, several countries ordered lockdowns amid the pandemic along with indications on social distancing. These social isolation measures could potentially bring alterations to healthy behavior, namely to alcohol consumption. However, there is hardly scientific evidence of the impact of such measures on alcohol consumption and binge drinking (BD) among young adults, and how they relate to alcohol craving, stress, anxiety and depression levels. We addressed these questions by conducting a longitudinal study with 146 Portuguese college students - binge drinkers (BDs), light drinkers (LDs) and non/low-drinkers - in three moments: before the pandemic (Pre-Lockdown), during lockdown (Lockdown) and 6 months after (Post-Lockdown). Results revealed alcohol use decreased during Lockdown and Post-Lockdown (vs. Pre-Lockdown), with BDs and LDs showing a pattern of diminished consumption during the pandemic. Stress, anxiety and depression levels were increased at Post-Lockdown, as well as craving levels, but did not contribute to explain drinking changes over time and across groups. We discuss how the COVID-19 measures restrained young adults’ ability to maintain the interpersonal contexts in which most BD episodes occur, and how it led to distinct changes in alcohol consumption worldwide depending on specific characteristics of the populations under study.