Longitudinal changes in alcohol use and binge-drinking among young-adult college students: Analyses of predictors across system levels

•Young-adult drinking vs. binge-drinking had common and distinct predictors.•Being White, men, and early-onset substance use predicted alcohol use/misuse.•Parental use and private college/rural setting were also risk factors for use/misuse.•Depressive and ADHD symptoms predicted higher risk use trajectories. Longitudinal research regarding young-adult college student alcohol use behaviors is needed to identify risk factors and inform interventions, particularly with regard to binge-drinking. Data from 3,418 US college students (aged 18–25) in a two-year, six-wave panel study (64.6% female, 63.4% White) were used to examine alcohol use and binge-drinking trajectories, as well as predictors of differing trajectories across individual (sociodemographics, depressive symptoms, ADHD symptoms, early-onset substance use), interpersonal (adverse childhood events, social support, parental substance use), and community factors (college type, rural/urban). Baseline alcohol use was associated with being White, higher parental education, early-onset use of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana, greater social support, parental alcohol use, attending private institutions, and rurality (p’s