Researchers who visited college parties to observe drinking patterns concluded that gatherings that featured drinking games or specific themes tended to result in more alcohol consumption.

The study from researchers at San Diego State University (SDSU) and the University of Michigan was based on observations and questioning of 1,304 young adults who attended 66 college parties.

"Most studies use survey methods that require people to recall their drinking behavior – days, weeks or months prior – and such recall is not always accurate," said J.D. Clapp, director of the Center for Alcohol and Drug Studies and Services at SDSU and corresponding author for the study. "By going out into the field and doing observations and surveys, including breath tests for alcohol concentrations, we were able to mitigate many of the problems associated with recall of behavior and complex settings."

"Both individual behavior and the environment matter when it comes to student-drinking behavior," added Clapp. "At the individual level, playing drinking games and having a history of binge drinking predicted higher [BAC readings]. At the environmental level, having a lot of intoxicated people at a party and themed events predicted higher [BAC readings]."

Clapp added that researchers also found that "young women drank more heavily than males at themed events. It is rare to find any situation where women drink more than men, and these events tended to have sexualized themes and costumes."

The study was published in the January 2008 issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.