Exploring Relationships Among Friendships, Social Status, and Problem Drinking in College Students: A Social Network Analysis

Open Access
- Author:
- Rodrigues, Jared William
- Graduate Program:
- Higher Education
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- May 12, 2014
- Committee Members:
- Dorothy H Evensen, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Leticia Oseguera, Committee Member
Janet Swim, Committee Member
Scott David Gest, Committee Member - Keywords:
- college student drinking
social network analysis
fraternities and sororities
social status
peer influence
college student drinking
social network analysis
fraternities and sororities
social status
peer influence - Abstract:
- Previous research has demonstrated that students’ peer groups have a powerful influence on individual alcohol use. Some specific findings include that students tend to overestimate their peers’ drinking and approval of drinking behaviors, and that students will consume more to match these inflated perceptions (Borsari & Carey, 2001, 2003; Perkins & Craig, 2012). Previous research on social networks has also found that alcohol use is associated with increased popularity or status (Ennett et al., 2006; Moody et al., 2011; Reifman et al., 2006). Relatively few studies have addressed the ways in which one’s closest peers can have a positive influence. Behavioral interventions that rely on positive peer influence have shown promising evidence in other arenas (Banyard et al., 2007; Hays et al., 2003). In order to better understand whether peer influence can be leveraged to reduce dangerous drinking and resultant harms, this study investigated three specific questions: (1) Can students recognize problem drinkers in their networks? (2) How do different measures of status correlate to drinking behaviors? and (3) What is the relationship between status and willingness to intervene or express disapproval for drinking behaviors? The present study employed methods of social network analysis to investigate these questions quantitatively. 200 participants from 8 fraternities and sororities completed a survey instrument that assessed individual alcohol behaviors and perceptions, and asked participants to nominate specific peers as: friends, someone who is fun to be around in a party/drinking setting, someone they look up to or admire, problem drinkers, and non-problem drinkers. Self-reported alcohol consequences was the strongest predictor variable for problem drinker nominations, suggesting that students perceive problem drinkers in their social networks with some level of accuracy. With regard to status it was found that while drinks per week and self-reported alcohol consequences showed some overall positive associations with friendship and status, both had nonlinear relationships with friendship nominations, and association actually becomes negative at higher levels. This suggests that more extreme or problematic alcohol behaviors actually have a social cost. Participants also completed a scale of items assessing their willingness to intervene helpfully with a peer whose drinking may be causing harm to self or others. Higher scores on this scale were predicted by self-reported use of harm reduction strategies (like deciding to limit drinking to a certain number of drinks) and having held a leadership position. These findings suggest that (1) students can recognize problem drinking in their peers, (2) that drinking, especially problematic drinking, is not socially rewarded unconditionally and can be negatively related to friendship and status, and (3) that students who hold leadership positions in their organizations and students who use protective behavioral strategies while drinking are more likely to helpfully intervene with friends. These findings suggest some promising ways forward for interventions that aim to engage students as part of the solution.