ABSTRACT
As early as the 1970s, Kahn and Kulick published a study describing the differential dropout rates of college students based on their involvement in drugs during their first year. Nationally, in 2015, it was estimated that approximately one-third of college students engaged in binge drinking. For many students who become involved in substance use, the result can be decreased motivation to pursue academic goals, attenuation of personal goals, and even complete disengagement from college. For instance, if a college student receives a poor grade on a test due to their substance use the night before, they might struggle to connect their behavior to this negative outcome. In other words, as students become more involved with drug use, academic pursuits with inherent longer-term rewards can become even less valued. For one, academic assistance center personnel could be trained to recognize possible substance use problems and refer students of concern to appropriate places on campus for assessment and intervention.
