Abstract
College student excessive alcohol use is a pressing public health concern, and many of the negative events associated with heavy drinking occur during leisure or free time. Positive use of leisure can lead to coping skills, stress reduction, and healthy development. Negative use of leisure, including heavy alcohol use, is associated with physical inactivity, stress, and short- and long-term health concerns. The authors contend that using the classroom context to help college students understand why it is beneficial to engage in positive leisure pursuits and how that engagement will promote personal growth is of critical importance to healthy development.
About the authors
Careen Yarnal is an associate professor of recreation, park and tourism management at Penn State. She specializes in college student use of free time and health.
Xinyi Qian is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Minnesota. She specializes in free time use and development across the lifespan.
John Hustad is an assistant professor of medicine and public health sciences at Penn State College of Medicine. He specializes in evaluating mechanisms of change and treatment outcome research for hazardous alcohol consumption by college students.
Damon Sims is vice president for student affairs at Penn State. One of his focus areas is addressing student excess alcohol consumption.
© 2013 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co.
