College Student Social Network Characteristics and Alcohol Use: Differences (and Similarities) Based on Sexual Identity and Attraction.

Objective: Sexual minority (SM) college students have higher alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences than heterosexual students. Peers are salient determinants of young adult drinking, and examining social network characteristics is useful for understanding peer influence. This study used social network methods to understand network characteristics, alcohol use (i.e., max drinks), and alcohol consequences of SM and heterosexual college students.

Method: Sexual minority and heterosexual junior-year college students (N = 1,150) were compared on (1) social network features (eigenvector centrality, indegree, outdegree, mutuality, closeness), and (2) alcohol use and consequences. We also determined (3) whether social network characteristics were associated with alcohol use and consequences, and (4) whether these associations differed based on sexual identity or attraction.

Results: Students reporting a bisexual identity or same-gender attraction had greater eigenvector centrality (global popularity or prestige) than heterosexual or students reporting exclusively other-gender attraction, respectively. Students reporting same-gender attraction had higher outdegree (expansiveness) and more reciprocated ties (mutuality) than individuals reporting exclusively other-gender attraction, but heterosexual students and students with other-gender attraction reported higher relationship closeness; they also reported a higher number of drinks than bisexual students and students with same-gender attraction. One significant interaction showed that outdegree (expansiveness) was associated with alcohol consequences for students who reported any same-gender attraction, but not for students who reported exclusively opposite-gender attraction.

Conclusions: SM college students' greater network prominence differs from research with adolescents and might reflect students' efforts to establish more affirming social connections in a college environment.