Heavy episodic drinking in college females: an exploration of expectancies, consequences, and self-efficacy.

Differences on expectancies and self-efficacy between college females who engage in heavy episodic drinking (HED) and non-HED were examined. Students (N = 95) from Southern California filled out the Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol, Cognitive Appraisal of Risky Events, and Drinking Context Convivial Drinking scales as well as self-efficacy, alcohol use, and demographic items in the fall semester of 2008. Logistic and linear regression showed that greater positive expectancies and lower self-efficacy were predictive of categorization as HED and greater convivial drinking. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.