Sex differences in the impact of secondhand harm from alcohol on student mental health and university sense of belonging

Publication date: Available online 9 September 2018

Source: Addictive Behaviors

Author(s): Kara Thompson, Devin Wood, Parnell Davis-MacNevin

Abstract

Purpose

University students report high rates of secondhand harm from alcohol (i.e., harm from another person's drinking). The current study investigated the association between students' exposure to secondhand harm and student mental health and university sense of belonging. We also assessed whether students' sense of belonging mediated the association between secondhand harm and mental health and sex differences in these associations.

Methods

A total of 941 students (70% female) completed an online survey. Path analysis was employed to test our hypotheses. Secondhand harm was assessed across three dimensions; strains (e.g., having sleep/studies interrupted), threats (e.g., physical/sexual assault), and interpersonal harm (e.g., taking care of intoxicated friends).

Results

Eighty-nine percent of participants reported secondhand harm exposure in the last 30 days. Interpersonal harm was the most common type of harm experienced by students. Strains were associated with higher levels of anxiety and stress, threats were associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression, and interpersonal harm predicted higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. Gender moderated these effects, such that only interpersonal harm was associated with men's mental health outcomes. Sense of belonging was associated with fewer mental health symptoms, and significantly mediated the effect of threats on anxiety, depression, and stress for females only, such that threat exposure was associated with reduced sense of belonging, which in turn increased anxiety, depression, and stress.

Conclusion

This study supports the growing body of literature demonstrating the high prevalence of secondhand harm exposure among university students and the association of these experiences with poor student mental health. Furthermore, this research provides evidence that sense of belonging may be one mechanism that explains this association.

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