Deconstructing Adolescent Binge Drinking: A Concept Analysis With Implications for Nursing Practice

Objectives: This study used Walker and Avant’s concept analysis framework to clarify adolescent binge drinking and strengthen its theoretical and practical relevance for nursing and public health. Design: A concept analysis conducted following Walker and Avant’s eight-step method, a systematic and structured approach to defining complex health concepts. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL for publications from 2010 to 2025, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Twenty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction focused on defining attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of adolescent binge drinking across multiple disciplines. Results: The concept is applied across multiple disciplines, including clinical practice, public health, social and behavioral sciences, and economic, policy, and legal domains, illustrating its transdisciplinary relevance and implications for nursing practice. Three defining attributes were identified: (1) rapid consumption of large alcohol volumes (≥5 drinks for males, ≥4 for females); (2) acute physiological manifestation (blood alcohol concentration ≥0.08 g/dl); and (3) risky adolescent behavior patterns. Antecedents included individual (e.g., impulsiveness, early initiation), social (e.g., peer influence, low parental monitoring), and environmental factors (e.g., alcohol availability). Consequences ranged from acute harms to long-term neurocognitive and behavioral outcomes. Empirical referents comprised self-report instruments (e.g., Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption), biomarkers, and policy indicators. Conclusion: Guided by Walker and Avant’s framework, this analysis clarifies the multidimensional nature of adolescent binge drinking and offers a unified conceptual definition. These insights help nursing, public health, and related fields improve screening, assessment, intervention, and policy efforts to better prevent alcohol-related harm in adolescents.