Se presenta un estudio cualitativo –focus group- para conocer los hábitos de consumo del alcohol y los principales determinantes de su uso entre estudiantes universitarios de la ciudad de Lima. Se organizaron cuatro grupos homogéneos (por género y nivel socio económico) con 5 a 9 participantes. El análisis de contenido reveló que los estresores experimentados son similares a los reportados por los adolescentes occidentales, sin embargo, reportaron estrés adicional por las dificultades económicas y el control de peso (entre las mujeres).Las expectativas sobre el alcohol fueron positivas y reflejaron lo mismo que en los adolescentes norteamericanos (mejora social, reducción de la tensión y mejora de habilidades motoras/cognitivas), aunque también se mencionaron expectativas adicionales (placer, diversión, pérdida de inhibiciones, auto confianza y aceptación del grupo). Otr...

A qualitative study was performed using the focus group methodology with first year university students in Greater Lima, to learn about their drinking habits and explore the main determinants of their alcohol consumption. Four homogeneous focus groups (by gender and social class) were organized, with group sizes between 5 and 9. Content analysis of the discussions revealed that the stressors experienced by these students are similar to those of other western adolescents, yet that economic difficulties and weight concerns (among females) provide additional stress. Expectancies towards alcohol were predominantly positive and partly reflected those of American adolescents (social enhancement, tension reduction and improved cognitive/motor abilities), although additional expectancies were mentioned (pleasure, diversion, loss of inhibitions, selfconfidence and group acceptance) and others w...

The paper describes the adaptation of the Adolescent version of the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ-A) for university students in Peru. 672 male and female university students enrolled in the first years at a private university in Peru completed the AEQ-A translated into Spanish. All 90 items were scored on 5-point rating scales. A principal component analysis with orthogonal Procrustes rotation towards the a priori 7 component structure yielded congruence measures (Tucker's phi) of .82 or less, implying that the original 7 dimensions of the AEQ-A could not be reproduced. A second, explorative principal component analysis produced a three-component solution explaining 27.8% of the variance: two unipolar components measuring positive and negative personal and social expectancies, and a bipolar component measuring expectancies regarding cognitive and motor capacities. A cross-validat...