What do Dutch college students talk about when they talk about alcohol?

Objectives: Interpersonal communication about alcohol influences alcohol consumption, yet evidence is scarce about the content and valence of alcohol-related conversations and how these concepts predict alcohol consumption. Methods: By employing a correlational design among Dutch undergraduate students (N = 133), this study measured alcohol consumption predictors and conversational valence and occurrence regarding three topics (personal alcohol-related experiences; alcohol-related experiences of others; and alcohol-related media messages). Results: Results showed that people talk more often and more positively about (personal) alcohol-related experiences than about alcohol-related media messages. In contrast to media messages, whether and how positively people talk about alcohol-related experiences was related to several alcohol consumption determinants. Conclusions: Health promotion attempts should elicit negative conversations about alcohol-related experiences, thereby resulting in more healthy alcohol consumption predictors.