Objective:
The promotion of drinking
behaviors correlates with increased drinking behaviors and intent to drink,
especially when peers are the promotion source. Similarly, online displays of
peer drinking behaviors have been described as a potential type of peer
pressure that might lead to alcohol misuse when the peers to whom individuals
feel attached value such behaviors. Social media messages about drinking
behaviors on Twitter (a popular social media platform among young people) are
common but understudied. In response, and given that drinking alcohol is a
widespread activity among young people, we examined Twitter chatter about drinking.
Tweets containing alcohol- or
drinking-related keywords were collected from March 13 to April 11, 2014. We
assessed a random sample (n = 5,000) of the most influential Tweets
for sentiment, theme, and source.
Most alcohol-related Tweets
reflected a positive sentiment toward alcohol use, with pro-alcohol Tweets
outnumbering anti-alcohol Tweets by a factor of more than 10. The most common
themes of pro-drinking Tweets included references to frequent or heavy drinking
behaviors and wanting/needing/planning to drink alcohol. The most common
sources of pro-alcohol Tweets were organic (i.e., noncommercial).
Our findings highlight the
need for online prevention messages about drinking to counter the strong
pro-alcohol presence on Twitter. However, to enhance the impact of
anti-drinking messages on Twitter, it may be prudent for such Tweets to be sent
by individuals who are widely followed on Twitter and during times when heavy
drinking is more likely to occur (i.e., weekends, holidays).
Purchase full article at: http://goo.gl/kgO0kX
By: Patricia A.
Cavazos-Rehg, Ph.D.,a,* Melissa J. Krauss, M.P.H.,a Shaina J. Sowles, M.P.H.,a & Laura J. Bierut, M.D.a
Affiliations
aDepartment of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
aDepartment of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
*Correspondence may be sent to Patricia A. Cavazos-Rehg at
the Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660
South Euclid Avenue, Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, or via email at:rehgp@psychiatry.wustl.edu.
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