I predittori del consumo di alcolici da parte degli studenti durante i programmi di mobilità internazionale: uno studio su un campione italiano

[Autom. eng. transl.] Every year more than 25,000 Italian university students (Study Abroad Students - SAS) spend a period of study in a foreign country thanks to international mobility programs such as Erasmus. Research on American SAS and the results of a pilot study on an Italian sample indicated that, during the period abroad, students significantly increase the amount of alcohol consumed and the frequency of risky behaviors, such as binge drinking. A qualitative study has also suggested that several factors, including a stereotypical representation of SAS as heavy drinkers, can promote an increase in alcohol consumption over the period abroad. The purpose of the present study is to investigate predictors, in particular the perceived social norms related to drinking in peers, of alcohol consumption during the period abroad. The sample consists of 200 students from a large university in Northern Italy who participated in an exchange program during the 2015/2016 academic year. Alcohol consumption was measured before and during the experience abroad. The data analysis was carried out through a multiple regression using as an independent variable the number of standard alcoholic drinks drunk during a week in the foreign country. Preliminary results show that perceived social norms predict the amount of alcohol consumed during the study period abroad. The results will be discussed in the light of the literature on the phenomenon together with the application effects in terms of health promotion in this student population.