Methods: The investigation employed a mixed methods design unfolding in two phases. The initial, qualitative phase consisted of a convenience sample of 13 students, while a random sample of 729 students participated in the subsequent quantitative phase. Results: Contextual factors emerging from the qualitative sessions were intrapersonal (i.e., internal – “emotional status”) or environmental (i.e., external – “other people”, “monetary concerns”) in nature. These themes exhibited a high prevalence when assessed quantitatively. Participants with greater motivation to drink responsibly were less likely to binge drank within the past two weeks, while those perceiving more barriers to drinking responsibly were more likely to have binged. Males were significantly more likely to identify factors obstructing responsible drinking, while simultaneously identifying fewer factors facilitating drinking responsibly.
Conclusion: This research, representing an initial examination of factors that facilitate or impede the responsible drinking, builds upon and enhances previous investigations outlining the behavioral beliefs college students have about responsible drinking.