Citation

Piotrowski C. Coll. Student J. 2014; 48(3): 375-377.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Project Innovation)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Prevalence statistics indicate that consumption of Energy drinks (EDs), often in combination with alcohol, is quite popular in the younger generation and particularly with college students. As literature on this topic is advancing at a rapid pace, it seemed instructive to examine which topics are emphasized in emerging EDs research. To that end, a qualitative content analysis was conducted on the 105 articles on EDs identified in a keyword search of the database PsycINFO.

FINDINGS show that the major areas of research focus are (in rank order): alcohol-enhanced EDs, cognitive effects, motivation for use, prevalence data, psychotic symptomology, public health policy, educational interventions, poly-drug sequelae, and 'masculine' persona. Moreover, there appears to be a lack of investigatory interest across several germane areas, i.e., academic performance, impact on social relationships, violence potential, social influence, and user naivety. These findings have particular implications for college-age users, since inappropriate consumption of EDs can have dire health and social consequences.

Language: en