Interprets data obtained through surveys concerning Soviet college students' alcohol consumption. Examines onset of drinking, frequency of drinking and inebriation, peer influence, gender differences, and students' self-assessments of alcohol use. Considers alcohol's habituating effects and consequent impact on individual development. (CH)

Posits reasons for accelerated alcohol use and accompanying personality changes among Soviet adolescents. Analyzes the relationship between difficult family environment and poor academic performance. Contends that students who are alienated from school seek to meet needs in antisocial groups where the frequency of drinking to excess often produces…