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Bystander Motivations and Barriers to Helping Intoxicated Peers
Jamie M Gajos1, Tricia H Witte2, Bridget B Weymouth2
1The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Journal of Drug Education
|April 17, 2024
Summary
Emerging adults help intoxicated peers for various reasons, with motivations and barriers differing by age, gender, and race. Older emerging adults and White participants reported specific helping motivations, while men cited more barriers.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Public Health
- Emerging Adult Health
Background:
- Emerging adults frequently encounter peers with alcohol intoxication.
- Understanding motivations and barriers to helping is crucial for developing effective interventions.
- Peer intervention plays a significant role in reducing alcohol-related harm.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the prevalence of self-reported motivations and barriers to helping intoxicated peers among emerging adults.
- To investigate differences in these motivations and barriers based on age, gender, race, and class standing.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey design.
- Participants: 377 emerging adults (Mage=18.64, 75% women, 88% White) from a Southeastern university.
- Data collected on self-reported motivations and barriers to helping intoxicated peers.
Main Results:
- Older emerging adults (19-24) were more likely to cite "turn" as a designated driver (DD) motivation compared to 18-year-olds.
- White participants were more likely to endorse helping a friend compared to non-White participants.
- Men reported significantly more Burden/Hassles-related barriers than women.
Conclusions:
- Helping intoxicated peers is influenced by age, gender, and race.
- Rotational helping (DD) and friendship are key motivators, varying across demographic groups.
- Perceived burden is a significant barrier, particularly for men, highlighting potential targets for intervention.
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