"Freshman's week": characteristics associated with participation and experiencing adverse effects
E K Erevik1, S Pallesen2, Ø Vedaa2,3
1Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, PO. Box. 7807, 5020, Bergen, Norway. eilin.erevik@uib.no.
Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy
|May 31, 2018
Summary
Freshman's week (FW) participation is linked to social adjustment but also heavy alcohol use. Interventions are needed to reduce alcohol-related harm during FW and increase inclusivity for all students.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Public Health
- Higher Education Studies
Background:
- Freshman's week (FW) is a Norwegian higher education initiation ritual.
- Previous research links FW participation to better social adjustment and increased alcohol consumption.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify characteristics associated with FW participation.
- Identify characteristics associated with adverse alcohol-related effects during FW.
Main Methods:
- Survey conducted in Bergen, Norway, in Fall 2015 among first-year students (N=4,401).
- Logistic regression analysis used to identify associated characteristics.
- Response rate was 49% with a mean age of 24 years; 65% female.
Main Results:
- 64% of students participated in FW; 27% of participants experienced adverse alcohol effects.
- FW participation associated with being single, extroversion, and alcohol use; inversely associated with age and having children.
- Alcohol use, depression symptoms, and extroversion were associated with increased risk of adverse alcohol effects during FW.
Conclusions:
- Initiatives are needed to increase FW participation, reduce alcohol use, and mitigate adverse alcohol effects.
- Reducing alcohol focus and enhancing inclusivity for diverse students may improve participation and safety.
- Future research should develop and evaluate interventions to increase FW participation and reduce harm.
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