Defending, contesting and rejecting formal drinker categories: how UK university students identify as ‘light-drinkers’ or ‘non-drinkers’
Definitions of drinker ‘categories’ (e.g., ‘light drinkers’) typically ignore the role of self-identification involved in drinking practices. To explore this, we presented self-identified ‘non’ or ‘light’ drinkers with official formal definitions of ‘light’ and ‘binge’ drinking as found in public he...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor and Francis
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/6739/1/2021_dep%26p_Defending%20contesting.docx |
| _version_ | 1824446426109706240 |
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| author | Conroy, Dom Griffin, Christine Morton, Charlotte |
| author_facet | Conroy, Dom Griffin, Christine Morton, Charlotte |
| author_sort | Conroy, Dom |
| collection | LMU |
| description | Definitions of drinker ‘categories’ (e.g., ‘light drinkers’) typically ignore the role of self-identification involved in drinking practices. To explore this, we presented self-identified ‘non’ or ‘light’ drinkers with official formal definitions of ‘light’ and ‘binge’ drinking as found in public health and academic research. A qualitative design was adopted. Semi-structured interviews with ten 18-27-year-old UK University students self-identifying as non-/light-drinkers were analysed using critical discourse analysis. A first data pattern saw participants working to defend and maintain self-identified ‘light drinker’ status in the face of contradictions to such claims. A second pattern involved participant challenges to the rigidity and legitimacy of formal drinking categories. A third pattern reflected participants' rhetorical work to hold at bay or reject disavowed and stigmatised drinking categories (e.g., 'alcoholic'). Interviews suggested how formal definitions could create ideological dilemmas for participants, partly through investment in how formally defined drinker categories connected with recent personal drinking practices. Our data helps explain why units-based drinking guidelines may be poorly understood. More nuanced use of ‘drinker categories’ in units-based drinking guidelines could strengthen the visibility and credibility of alcohol health messages or could be drawn on in digital interventions designed to encourage moderate consumption behaviour by delivering personalised feedback. |
| first_indexed | 2024-07-09T04:02:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | oai:repository.londonmet.ac.uk:6739 |
| institution | London Metropolitan University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-19T01:14:58Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | Taylor and Francis |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | oai:repository.londonmet.ac.uk:67392024-10-24T16:04:29Z https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/6739/ Defending, contesting and rejecting formal drinker categories: how UK university students identify as ‘light-drinkers’ or ‘non-drinkers’ Conroy, Dom Griffin, Christine Morton, Charlotte 360 Social problems & services; associations Definitions of drinker ‘categories’ (e.g., ‘light drinkers’) typically ignore the role of self-identification involved in drinking practices. To explore this, we presented self-identified ‘non’ or ‘light’ drinkers with official formal definitions of ‘light’ and ‘binge’ drinking as found in public health and academic research. A qualitative design was adopted. Semi-structured interviews with ten 18-27-year-old UK University students self-identifying as non-/light-drinkers were analysed using critical discourse analysis. A first data pattern saw participants working to defend and maintain self-identified ‘light drinker’ status in the face of contradictions to such claims. A second pattern involved participant challenges to the rigidity and legitimacy of formal drinking categories. A third pattern reflected participants' rhetorical work to hold at bay or reject disavowed and stigmatised drinking categories (e.g., 'alcoholic'). Interviews suggested how formal definitions could create ideological dilemmas for participants, partly through investment in how formally defined drinker categories connected with recent personal drinking practices. Our data helps explain why units-based drinking guidelines may be poorly understood. More nuanced use of ‘drinker categories’ in units-based drinking guidelines could strengthen the visibility and credibility of alcohol health messages or could be drawn on in digital interventions designed to encourage moderate consumption behaviour by delivering personalised feedback. Taylor and Francis 2021-06-01 Article PeerReviewed text en cc_by_nc_4 https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/6739/1/2021_dep%26p_Defending%20contesting.docx Conroy, Dom, Griffin, Christine and Morton, Charlotte (2021) Defending, contesting and rejecting formal drinker categories: how UK university students identify as ‘light-drinkers’ or ‘non-drinkers’. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 29 (5). pp. 509-518. ISSN 0968-7637 https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2021.1929078 10.1080/09687637.2021.1929078 10.1080/09687637.2021.1929078 |
| spellingShingle | 360 Social problems & services; associations Conroy, Dom Griffin, Christine Morton, Charlotte Defending, contesting and rejecting formal drinker categories: how UK university students identify as ‘light-drinkers’ or ‘non-drinkers’ |
| title | Defending, contesting and rejecting formal drinker categories: how UK university students identify as ‘light-drinkers’ or ‘non-drinkers’ |
| title_full | Defending, contesting and rejecting formal drinker categories: how UK university students identify as ‘light-drinkers’ or ‘non-drinkers’ |
| title_fullStr | Defending, contesting and rejecting formal drinker categories: how UK university students identify as ‘light-drinkers’ or ‘non-drinkers’ |
| title_full_unstemmed | Defending, contesting and rejecting formal drinker categories: how UK university students identify as ‘light-drinkers’ or ‘non-drinkers’ |
| title_short | Defending, contesting and rejecting formal drinker categories: how UK university students identify as ‘light-drinkers’ or ‘non-drinkers’ |
| title_sort | defending contesting and rejecting formal drinker categories how uk university students identify as light drinkers or non drinkers |
| topic | 360 Social problems & services; associations |
| url | https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/6739/1/2021_dep%26p_Defending%20contesting.docx |
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