Abstract

Definitions of drinker ‘categories’ (e.g., ‘light drinkers’) typically ignore the role of self-identification involved in drinking practices. To explore this, we presented self-identified ‘non’ or ‘light’ drinkers with official formal definitions of ‘light’ and ‘binge’ drinking as found in public health and academic research. A qualitative design was adopted. Semi-structured interviews with ten 18–27-year-old UK University students self-identifying as non-/light-drinkers were analysed using critical discourse analysis. A first data pattern saw participants working to defend and maintain self-identified ‘light drinker’ status in the face of contradictions to such claims. A second pattern involved participant challenges to the rigidity and legitimacy of formal drinking categories. A third pattern reflected participants' rhetorical work to hold at bay or reject disavowed and stigmatised drinking categories (e.g., ‘alcoholic’). Interviews suggested how formal definitions could create ideological dilemmas for participants, partly through investment in how formally defined drinker categories connected with recent personal drinking practices. Our data helps explain why units-based drinking guidelines may be poorly understood. More nuanced use of ‘drinker categories’ in units-based drinking guidelines could strengthen the visibility and credibility of alcohol health messages or could be drawn on in digital interventions designed to encourage moderate consumption behaviour by delivering personalised feedback.

摘要

饮酒者“类别”（例如，“轻度饮酒者”）的定义通常忽略了饮酒习惯中涉及的自我认同的作用。为了探索这一点，我们向自我认定的“非”或“轻度”饮酒者提供了公共卫生和学术研究中对“轻度”和“暴饮”饮酒的官方正式定义。采用了定性设计。使用批判性话语分析分析了对 10 名 18-27 岁英国大学学生的半结构化访谈，这些学生自称为非饮酒者/轻度饮酒者。第一个数据模式看到参与者在面对与此类说法的矛盾时努力捍卫和维持自我认定的“轻度饮酒者”身份。第二种模式涉及参与者对正式饮酒类别的刚性和合法性的挑战。第三种模式反映了参与者的 修辞工作以阻止或拒绝拒绝和污名化的饮酒类别（例如，“酒精”）。采访表明，正式定义如何给参与者带来意识形态困境，部分原因是投资于正式定义的饮酒者类别如何与最近的个人饮酒习惯相关联。我们的数据有助于解释为什么可能对基于单位的饮酒指南知之甚少。在基于单位的饮酒指南中更细致地使用“饮酒者类别”可以增强酒精健康信息的可见度和可信度，或者可以在旨在通过提供个性化反馈来鼓励适度消费行为的数字干预中加以利用。采访表明，正式定义如何给参与者带来意识形态困境，部分原因是投资于正式定义的饮酒者类别如何与最近的个人饮酒习惯相关联。我们的数据有助于解释为什么可能对基于单位的饮酒指南知之甚少。在基于单位的饮酒指南中更细致地使用“饮酒者类别”可以增强酒精健康信息的可见度和可信度，或者可以在旨在通过提供个性化反馈来鼓励适度消费行为的数字干预中加以利用。采访表明，正式定义如何给参与者带来意识形态困境，部分原因是投资于正式定义的饮酒者类别如何与最近的个人饮酒习惯相关联。我们的数据有助于解释为什么可能对基于单位的饮酒指南知之甚少。在基于单位的饮酒指南中更细致地使用“饮酒者类别”可以增强酒精健康信息的可见度和可信度，或者可以在旨在通过提供个性化反馈来鼓励适度消费行为的数字干预中加以利用。