Perceptions about residence hall wingmates and alcohol-related secondhand effects among college freshmen.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined the secondhand effects among college freshmen of others' alcohol use and related student characteristics, and perceptions about residence hallmates. PARTICIPANTS: The authors surveyed 509 incoming freshmen residing in predominantly freshman residence halls. METHODS: The authors administered a Web-based survey 2 months into the 2006 fall academic semester. RESULTS: Most (80%) students experienced at least 1 secondhand effect. Participants' perceptions of wingmates' acceptance and expectation of alcohol use and participants' perceived inability to protect themselves against alcohol problems were related to experiencing secondhand effects, as were being a female and a drinker. CONCLUSIONS: Incoming college freshmen frequently experienced secondhand effects of alcohol use. Involving residence halls in norms-based interventions aimed at reducing secondhand effects warrants evaluation. Further research is also needed to examine skill building among college students to avoid and intervene into others' drinking and to examine resident advisor roles as both engenderers of trust and cooperation as well as enforcers of alcohol rules.

Author information

Author/s: Boekeloo, Bradley O (BO); Bush, Elizabeth N (EN); Novik, Melinda G (MG);

Affiliation: The Department of Public and Community Health, The University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD, USA. boekeloo(-atsign-)umd.edu

Grants: R01 AA015139-03 (Agency:NIAAA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Journal of American college health : J of ACH (J Am Coll Health), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2009 May-Jun; vol 57 (issue 6) : pp 619-26

Dates: Created 2009/05/12; Completed 2009/06/30; Revised 2009/09/24;

PMID: 19433400, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/25/2009, IMS Date: 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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