“Binge drinking”: meanings and practices of consumption among young Italians.

The qualitative research carried out in three cities (Turin, Rome and Salerno) and on the web gave voice to a sample of 134 adolescents (15-17 years) and young people (22-24 years) who practice binge drinking to understand if they represent a homogeneous category in terms of quantity, methods and reasons for drinking. The aim of the research is to initiate a reflection on the meanings and use of the concept of binge drinking (literally alcoholic binge) in Italy, also in order to explain the reasons for the variability of the data collected from the various surveys on young people and alcohol and the difference found between declarations on episodes of drunkenness (among the lowest in Europe) and those relating to binge drinking (slightly lower than the European average).

 Osservatorio Permanente sui Giovani e l’Alcool, Roma

2013