Involvement in Sport and Intention to Consume Alcohol: An Exploratory Study of UK Adolescents1

We tested the hypothesis that school “athletes” and “non‐athletes” differ in intentions to consume alcohol and get drunk, attitudes toward alcohol, and perceptions of subjective norms. We also investigated, using the theory of reasoned action, whether athletic involvement is a factor in predicting alcohol‐related intentions. Data were obtained from students in a stratified sample of schools in a major Welsh city. Male athletes were significantly more likely than male non‐athletes to intend to get drunk and to believe friends would approve of their alcohol consumption. For males, sporting involvement was a significant predictor of likelihood of getting drunk. In contrast, female athletes showed significantly more negative attitudes than did female non‐athletes toward drinking alcohol. Differences in intentions were nonsignificant.