Binge drinking (heavy, episodic alcohol consumption), tobacco, and illicit drug use among a random sample of 140 American colleges were examined by means of a mail survey. Students were divided into three groups on the basis of their involvement in athletics: whether they were involved, partly involved, or not involved. In addition, individual correlates of binge drinking among athletically involved students were studied. The survey results indicated that students involved in college athletics engaged in binge drinking and tobacco more often than students not involved in athletics, but were less likely to be cigarette smokers or marijuana users. The strongest predictors of binge drinking among students involved in athletics were residence in a fraternity or a sorority, a party lifestyle, engagement in other risky behaviors, and previous binging in high school. Coaches may play an important role in discouraging substance use and need to be a part of campus prevention efforts.

Binge drinking, tobacco, and illicit drug use and involvement in college athletics. A survey of students at 140 American colleges.

Objective: To present recommendations for the prevention, detection, and comprehensive management of disordered eating (DE) in athletes. Background: Athletes with DE rarely self-report their symptoms. They tend to deny the condition and are often resistant to referral and treatment. Thus, screenings and interventions must be handled skillfully by knowledgeable professionals to obtain desired outcomes. Certified athletic trainers have the capacity and responsibility to play active roles as integral members of the health care team. Their frequent daily interactions with athletes help to facilitate the level of medical surveillance necessary for early detection, timely referrals, treatment follow-through, and compliance. Recommendations: These recommendations are intended to provide certified athletic trainers and others participating in the health maintenance and performance enhancement of athletes with specific knowledge and problem-solving skills to better prevent, detect, and manage DE. The individual biological, psychological, sociocultural, and familial factors for each athlete with DE result in widely different responses to intervention strategies, challenging the best that athletics programs have to offer in terms of resources and expertise. The complexity, time intensiveness, and expense of managing DE necessitate an interdisciplinary approach representing medicine, nutrition, mental health, athletic training, and athletics administration in order to facilitate early detection and treatment, make it easier for symptomatic athletes to ask for help, enhance the potential for full recovery, and satisfy medicolegal requirements. Of equal importance is establishing educational initiatives for preventing DE.

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National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Preventing, Detecting, and Managing Disordered Eating in Athletes

This article will highlight some of the special challenges that confront the 1990s inter collegiate student-athlete. Ways in which student-athletes respond differentially to these challenges, which are over and above those that non-student-athletes face, will also be highlighted. Finally, suggestions will be offered for how counseling psychologists can lend their expertise and talents in helping student-athletes to enrich their overall collegiate experience.

The Intercollegiate Athlete A 1990s Profile

This study compared the attitudes toward help seeking behavior and expectations about counseling of 135 college student-athletes and 132 nonathletes in an attempt to identify significant differences that might warrant the need for specific approaches with each population. Significant differences were found between student-athletes and nonathletes on both variables. Implications for college counselors and student affairs professionals are presented to address the growing concern that college student athletes are increasingly underutilizing counseling and support services.

College Student-Athletes' Attitudes Toward Help-Seeking Behavior and Expectations of Counseling Services

Comparison of Four Operational Definitions of Premature Termination.

This article reviews the literature dealing with problems brought by student-athletes to college counseling and mental health centers. Among the issues discussed are fear of success; identity conflict; social isolation; poor athletic performance; academic problems; and career or vocational concerns. In addition, the authors examine the paradox that although athletes experience as much or more psychological distress as nonathletes, research indicates that athletes use professional services less often than nonathletes. Finally, the authors review approaches to psychological intervention, including short-term psychotherapy, very brief interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy, and career/vocational counseling, and discuss special considerations for conducting therapy with athletes.

The College Student-Athlete: Psychological Considerations and Interventions

Scattered reports of favorable outcomes from a single psychotherapy session have appeared over a long time period. This literature is collected. Case vignettes are presented illustrating three situ...

Single-session psychotherapy.

Annual college mental health service statistics reveal that 50% to 60% of all students served are seen for very brief psychological interventions--5 or fewer sessions. A substantial portion of the students benefit from these very brief contacts. The authors review the selection criteria for student and therapist that make very brief intervention possible. The student must be motivated for and seek a brief encounter and must enter the therapeutic relationship with the capacity for trust already in place and the professional qualifications of the therapist already established. The problem presented should be sufficiently clear and manageable to be resolved, or to begin being resolved, in a few sessions. Finally, the student must have the capacity for rapid insight and learning. The therapist brings to the relationship a belief in the value of very limited sessions, the capacity to develop a positive relationship quickly, and the ability to determine when it is appropriate to work in such a short time frame and to use the time most effectively. Four ways that students may benefit from very brief psychological interventions include (1) psychodynamic therapy, (2) crisis intervention, (3) mental health consultation, and (4) managed referral. Case illustrations and clinical methods are presented.

Very Brief Psychological Interventions with University Students

Physical fitness training: beneficial for professional psychologists?

The authors offer reflections on what seems to work in individual psychotherapy with university students. Discussion centers around the topics of triage and disposition, referral, crisis intervention, stress management, open-ended psychotherapy, extratherapeutic factors, and the psychotherapy relationship. These observations are not intended to be a comprehensive review; rather, the effort is to stimulate interest and dialogue on this important subject. The authors draw on their experience in working in a university counseling service, psychotherapy research literature, and what has been learned from students served.

Rolffs S. Pinkerton

Papers

The College Student-Athlete: Psychological Considerations and Interventions

Single-session psychotherapy.

Very Brief Psychological Interventions with University Students

Physical fitness training: beneficial for professional psychologists?

Reflections on Individual Psychotherapy with University Students: What Seems to Work