Influence of perceived peer behavior on engagement in self‐damaging behaviors during the transition to university

Abstract

As students transition to university, they experience significant social changes that can affect their behaviors, including self‐damaging behaviors like disordered eating, problematic alcohol/drug use, suicidal thoughts, and non‐suicidal self‐injury (NSSI). Building on prior work, we examined the associations between (1) perceptions of peers' engagement in self‐damaging behaviors predicting one's own subsequent engagement in such behaviors (i.e., socialization) and (2) one's own engagement in self‐damaging behaviors predicting perceptions of peers' subsequent engagement in such behaviors (i.e., selection). We also examined whether these associations were moderated by the source of influence (close peer/acquaintance) and degree of social disconnection experienced by the student. First‐year university students (N = 704) were asked to complete seven monthly surveys. Multilevel models indicated that when students perceived their close peers had engaged in NSSI or suicidal thinking, they had seven times greater odds of future engagement in the same behavior, implying that socialization increases the risk of these behaviors among university students. Perception of acquaintances' NSSI also predicted greater odds of a student's own NSSI the following month. Social disconnection increased the likelihood of matching own behaviors to perceptions of acquaintances' alcohol abuse, highlighting the importance of fostering connections/mentors to reduce self‐damaging behaviors on college campuses. Furthermore, when students engaged in alcohol abuse, they had almost four times greater odds of reporting that their acquaintances abused alcohol the following month, emphasizing the importance of the wider social network in alcohol use behaviors.

Prevalence and Trend of Drug Use among Adolescents in Mississippi and the United States: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) 2001–2021

“…Our data suggest that while national trends indicate a decrease in all six major drug-related behaviors over time, Mississippi teens reported higher instances of using inhalants, heroin, methamphetamine, injecting illegal drugs, and being offered, sold, or given illegal drugs on school property. This discrepancy underscores the need for targeted interventions in Mississippi to address these alarming trends because a strong body of research indicates that adolescent substance abuse results in negative physical and mental health consequences [3,[21][22][23], as well as academic [24], social [25], and high-risk behaviors, leading to legal issues and potential criminal justice involvement [26].…”

“…Youth's drug use is directly linked with increased sexual risk behaviors, experience of violence, adverse mental health and suicidality among adolescents and youths [2]. Data suggests that young students, as they transition to colleges, are influenced by their peers to undertake risky behaviors including drug use, suicidal thoughts, and non-suicidal self-injury [3].…”