Alcohol's Collateral Damage: Harms From Others' Drinking Are Linked to Academic and Mental Health Challenges Among U.S. College Students.

Abstract

Objective: More than half of U.S. college students are harmed by the drinkers around them. If findings from research on adults generalize to college students, then there will be consequences associated with these alcohol-related harms to others (AHTOs). This study aimed to determine whether harms from others' drinking were associated with key academic and mental health indicators of the college experience.

Method: Data were from a probability-based sample of college students (n = 1,822, 64.9% cisfemale, 68.6% White, 11.3% Black, 15.6% Hispanic/Latinx) conducted October-November 2021. Predictors included domains of five AHTOs: harassment, physical, sexual, academic, and babysitting drinkers. Six binary outcomes included (a) satisfied with college, (b) satisfied with academic performance, (c) grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or greater, (d) depression, (e) suicidal ideation, and (f) mental distress.

Results: Harassment AHTOs were associated with lower college satisfaction (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.57, 95% CI [0.38, 0.84]) and suicidal ideation (aOR = 1.74, 95% CI [1.08, 2.82]). Physical AHTOs were associated with lower odds of academic satisfaction (aOR = 0.33, 95% CI [0.19, 0.59]) and GPA of 3.0 or greater (aOR = 0.42, 95% CI [0.22, 0.83]). Academic AHTOs were associated with lower odds of being satisfied with college (aOR = 0.27, 95% CI [0.14, 0.52]) and one's academic performance (aOR = 0.27, 95% CI [0.14, 0.50]) and higher odds of mental distress (aOR = 2.27, 95% CI [1.31, 3.94]). Finally, sexual AHTOs were associated with higher odds of depression (aOR = 2.77, 95% CI [1.34, 5.77]).

Conclusions: AHTOs are associated with mental health and academic challenges on college campuses. Longitudinal studies should investigate whether these associations persist over time.