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J Camosun Psyc Res. (2020). Vol. 2, pp. 17-23.
Submitted Winter 2020; accepted June 2020.

The effect of alcohol consumption on academic
performance.
Author: Liliana Wright*
Supervising Instructor: Michael Pollock, Psyc 245 (“Drugs & Behavior”)
Department of Psychology, Camosun College, 3100 Foul Bay Road, Victoria, BC, Canada V8P 5J2
*Corresponding author email: lilianamaldonado89@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Many adult college students enjoy drinking alcohol, but consumption of alcohol may have
negative impacts on academic performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate
whether alcohol consumption affects the academic performance of an adult college student
participant in her thirties. A correlational study was completed in which three hypotheses were
tested. Hypothesis #1 was if the amount of alcohol consumed increases, then academic
performance will decrease. Hypothesis # 2 was if the amount of alcohol consumed increases,
then missed classes and poor grades will increase. Hypothesis #3 was if the amount of alcohol
consumed increases, then academic motivation will decrease. The method used for all three
hypotheses was quantitative. The amount of alcohol consumed by the participant was recorded
each day over a two-week period. The participant’s academic performance, missed classes,
grades and academic motivation were rated on a scale each day. The results did not demonstrate
a statistically significant correlation for any of the three hypotheses. The strongest hypothesis
was #1 and therefore it was used for an experimental study. The experiment used a quantitative
method to determine whether there is a causal relationship between alcohol consumption and
academic performance. The results of the experiment showed that increasing alcohol
consumption from having one to two beers does not produce a statistically significant decrease in
academic performance. A limitation of the study is that it had a small sample size and
consequently the results cannot be generalized or applied to a broader population.
1. Introduction
Alcohol consumption can be a risk for
academic success and can provoke students’
failure. Higher alcohol consumption
contributes to poor academic performance
and academic motivation. A previous study
by Castaño-Perez and Calderon-Vallejo
(2014) looked at the psychosocial impacts of
alcohol consumption by university students.
A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational
method was used. The study utilized an

AUDIT scale (Alcohol Use Disorders
Identification Test), which was developed
by the World Health Organization (WHO)
and approved by Londoño Colombian
University (p. 740). This survey involves a
series of questions related to sex, socioeconomic status, marital status, family
struggles, etc., as well as questions related to
alcohol intake and consequences. The
participants were 396 university students of
both sexes who were between the ages of 15
and 49 years old (p. 740). The results of
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Castaño-Perez and Calderon-Vallejo’s study
showed that higher consumption of alcohol
or alcohol dependence has a statistically
significant impact resulting in poor
academic performance (16.4% for higher
consumption and 52.2% for dependence) (p.
741). These findings back up hypothesis #1
in the present study that if the amount of
alcohol consumed increases, then academic
performance will decrease.
The results of Castaño-Perez and
Calderon-Vallejo’s study also showed that
higher consumption of alcohol or alcohol
dependence has a statistically significant
impact resulting in class absences and delays
(37.3% for higher consumption and 67.4%
for dependence) (p. 741). These findings
support hypothesis # 2 in the present study
that if the amount of alcohol consumed
increases, then missed classes and poor
grades will increase.
Similarly, Gilbert (2014) looked at
whether alcohol consumption contributes to
lower academic motivation, resulting in poor
academic success. The study utilized a
method with three phases where students
completed several questionnaires about their
drinking behavior and academic motivation.
Students completed an online baseline
questionnaire in phase 1; 26 weekly online
questionnaires in phase 2; and up to 24
monthly online questionnaires in phase 3 (p.
12). Their total participants were 847
students (304 males and 543 females) in
phase 1; 415 students (149 males and 266
females between the ages of 16 to 21 and
older) in phase 2 (p. 12). The results of the
study concluded that participants who drink
heavily or consume numerous drinks had a
decrease in their academic motivation which
led to them obtaining poor grades (p. 16).
Gilbert’s research has relevance for
hypothesis #3 in the present study that if
alcohol consumed increases, academic
motivation will decrease.

Based on these prior studies on alcohol
consumption and academic performance in
students, we can expect that the amount of
alcohol consumed will have an impact on
the student’s academic performance in this
experiment.
2. Methods
2.1 Participants
One female participant in her thirties took
part in this research. The participant was a
student from Camosun College.
2.2 Correlational Study Methods
2.2.1 Materials
The materials used for this correlational
study were alcoholic beverages. For all
three hypotheses in the correlational study,
Word document tables were used to record
the total amount of alcohol consumed each
day and ratings of academic performance.
2.2.2 Procedure
In one column of the Word document
table, the type of alcohol consumed was
recorded, such as beer, wine or cocktail. In
another column, the quantity of each drink
consumed was recorded. Alcohol volume
(mL) and alcohol content percentage for
each alcoholic drink was also recorded. To
calculate the total amount of alcohol
consumed, the volume of each alcoholic
beverage consumed was multiplied by the
alcohol percentage, and these amounts were
added together to determine the total amount
of alcohol consumed each day. Alcohol
consumption was recorded each day for 12
consecutive days.
For hypothesis #1, academic performance
was measured and recorded in a Word
document table. This table included
homework deadlines, practice quizzes and
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the total grades from homework or quizzes
for each class subject. Academic
performance was rated on a scale from 0 to
10. Zero signified that academic
performance was extremely poor; 2 was
very poor; 4 was poor; 6 was good; 8 was
very good; and 10 was extremely good. A
rating was recorded for each day.
For hypothesis # 2, class attendance or
absence and grades were recorded in another
Word document table. This table included
class name, missed/attended class, teacher’s
evaluation, and grades. A missed class was
rated as -10 and an attended class was rated
as +10. For grades, the ratings were -10 for
poor grades, 0 for average grades, and +10
for good grades. The grades were based on
teachers’ evaluations and their marking
criteria.
For hypothesis # 3, academic motivation
was measured and recorded in another Word
document table. The rating scale used was
from 0 to 100, with 0 signifying no
motivation toward academics. A rating of
25 meant low academic motivation, 50
meant medium academic motivation, 75
meant high academic motivation, and 100
meant extremely high motivation to perform
academic tasks. For the three hypotheses,
data was recorded for 12 consecutive days.
2.3 Experimental Study Methods
2.3.1 Materials
The materials used in the experimental
study consisted of 18 bottles of Mexican
imported beer (Sol, Dos Equis XX). The
alcohol percent was 4.7%. A Word
document table was used to record the
number of beers consumed each day and
ratings of academic performance.

On control days, the participant consumed
one bottle of beer in the evening. The
participant had a friend randomly assign a
condition of consuming two beers
(experimental) or one beer (control) every
day for 12 days. The process for random
assignment used 12 pieces of paper: six
pieces stated “one beer” and six pieces
stated “two beers”. The papers were folded
individually and put into a hat. The friend
shook the hat and drew one paper out each
day.
During the 12 days of this study, the
consumption of alcohol occurred every
evening around 6:00pm. The participant
followed safety measures while consuming
alcohol. She had a friend monitor her safety
while she was drinking, and she did not
drive after drinking. A positive drinking
environment was essential for the
participant’s safety in this experiment.
The participant’s academic performance
was measured and recorded in a Word
document table. This table included
homework deadlines, practice quizzes and
total grades from homework or quizzes for
each class. Academic performance was
rated on a scale from 0 to 10. Zero signified
that academic performance was extremely
poor; 2 was very poor; 4 was poor; 6 was
good; 8 was very good; and 10 was
extremely good. To lessen the chance of
experimenter bias, the participant had a
second friend who was unaware of the
hypothesis and what condition the
participant received each day review the
participant’s Word document table with the
deadlines and grades for quizzes and
homework. This friend rated the
participant’s academic performance each
day. The ratings were compared to the total
amount of alcohol consumed each day.

2.3.2 Procedure
On experimental days, the participant
consumed two bottles of beer in the evening.
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2.4 Statistical Methods

3. Results

significant correlations for the three
hypotheses tested. For hypothesis #1, the
results showed a r of 0.28 (p = 0.41). For
hypothesis #2, the r was -0.08 (p = 0.82).
For hypothesis #3, the r was 0.05 (p = 0.88).
See Table 1 and Figure 1 for details on these
correlations.

3.1 Correlational Study Results

3.2 Experimental Study Results

The results of this correlational study
determined that there was no statistically

The results of this experiment showed
that there was no statistically significant

The level of statistical significance set in
the correlational and experimental studies
was a p value of 0.05.

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difference between academic performance in
the experimental condition (two beers
consumed) versus the control condition (one
beer consumed). The mean academic
performance rating was 6.7 for the
experimental condition versus 7.5 for the
control condition (p = 0.66). See Table 2
and Figure 2 for a summary of the
descriptive statistics.
4. Discussion

This research consisted of two types of
studies: a correlational study and an
experimental study. The correlational study
included three hypotheses: increasing
alcohol consumption will decrease academic
performance (hypothesis #1); increasing
alcohol consumption will increase missed
classes and poor grades (hypothesis #2); and
increasing alcohol consumption will
decrease academic motivation (hypothesis
#3). The results of the correlational study
were not statistically significant for any of

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the three hypotheses. The strongest
correlation was hypothesis #1, which was
used for the experimental study.
Hypothesis #1 investigated in the
experimental study was that if the amount of
alcohol consumed increases, then academic
performance will decrease. The hypothesis
was not supported as there was not a
statistically significant causal effect of
alcohol consumption on academic
performance.
While this study did not find a
statistically significant correlational or
causal relationship between alcohol
consumption and academic performance,
this is in contrast to previous research
findings which did show that higher alcohol
consumption can impact academic
performance. In the study from CastanoPerez and Calderon-Vallejo (2014), their
results showed that high alcohol
consumption and alcohol dependence can
have a harmful effect on academic
performance (16.4% when alcohol is
consumed in higher doses and 52.2% when
there is dependence) (p.741). Similarly,
Gilbert’s (2014) study showed that higher
alcohol consumption is associated with
lower academic motivation, which results in
lower grades.
Unlike the previous studies, the type of
alcohol consumed in the present study was
mostly beer with an alcohol content of 4.7%
rather than other types of liquor with a
higher alcohol content. Furthermore, the
participant only consumed one or two drinks
each day, as opposed to consuming a higher
amount of alcohol like in the previous
studies. These differences could explain
why the results in this study were not
statistically significant despite the large
number of trials. The difference between
one beer and two beers with low alcohol
content is minimal in comparison to the
impacts of heavier alcohol consumption. In

this study, consuming two beers resulted in
slightly lower academic performance than
consuming one beer, but it was not enough
of a difference to be statistically significant.
This study had some limitations,
particularly the number of participants in the
study as it included only one participant.
Castaño-Perez and Calderon-Vallejo (2014)
had 396 participants of both sexes aged from
15 through 49 for their study (p. 740).
Gilbert’s (2014) study had 415 participants
of both sexes with ages ranging from 16 to
21 and older (p. 12). With only one
participant, this study cannot be used to
generalize to a broader group of people.
Another limitation is that the alcohol used in
the experimental study was limited to beer
and did not include other kinds of alcohol, as
discussed above. Consequently, the results
cannot be generalized to other types of
alcohol. Lastly, the setting of this study was
limited to drinking alcohol at home. As
people might consume more alcohol in
places such as at bars or pubs, in comparison
to at home, the results of the study may not
be applicable to drinking that occurs in a
wider variety of settings.
In conclusion, the hypotheses for this
study that increased alcohol consumption
will decrease academic performance were
not supported. Future studies should include
a larger sample size, a wider variety of
alcohol types, and a higher amount of
alcohol consumed.
References
Castaño-Perez, G. A., & Calderon-Vallejo,
G. A. (2014). Problems associated with
alcohol consumption by university
students. Revista Latino-Americana de
Enfermagem, 22(5), 739-746.
Gilbert, J. (2014). The effects of drinking on
university grades: Does academic
motivation play a role? (Undergraduate
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honors thesis). London, ON, Canada:
University of Western Ontario.

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