College Students’ Use of Fake IDs May Contribute to Risk for Alcohol Use Disorder

A study of college students finds false ID use may contribute to the risk of alcohol use disorder by making it easier for students to drink more frequently. The study found false IDs were used by almost two-thirds of students who had tried alcohol at least once before starting college.

The study included 1,015 college students who were followed over four years. Researchers found false ID use led to increases in drinking frequency and quantity.

The researchers noted that while underage students tend to drink less frequently than older students, using fake IDs may lead to more frequent drinking and increase their risk of developing an alcohol use disorder, HealthDay reports.

Predictors of how often students used fake IDs included younger age at first drink of alcohol, greater levels of alcohol and drug involvement during high school, higher levels of sensation-seeking, fraternity/sorority involvement and living off-campus.

The findings appear in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

According to a journal news release, this study is the first to examine the association between false ID use and subsequent risk for developing alcohol use disorders.

“Just knowing how common the use of false IDs is suggests that this, among other things, is something that parents should be monitoring and also talking with their kids about,” said Jennifer Read of the State University of New York at Buffalo, who was not involved in the study.”Both parental monitoring and communication have been shown to buffer against problem drinking outcomes in young adults, and this is another area where parents might be encouraged to engage in these practices.”