Predictors of helping drunken students among non-drinking college students

Purpose: To examine how often non-drinking college students are affected by (secondhand consequences) how often they help, their willingness to help, their self-efficacy helping, and what factors predict their helping drunken students. Methods: A web-based survey was administered to students living in predominantly freshmen residence halls (n=1269). Summed items were created for helping behaviors (11 items, Range= 0-44, Mean=2.83+/-4.03, Alpha= of 0.87), helping self-efficacy (6 items, Range=4-24, Mean= 17.52+/-4.39, Alpha=0.89), willingness to help (4 items, Range=4-20, Mean=16.24+/-2.33, Alpha of 0.71), and secondhand consequences (10 items, Range=0-30, Mean=3.72+/-3.99, Alpha= 0.75). Results: Of 551 students who completed the survey, 218 were classified as non-drinkers. Non-drinkers were frequently affected by secondhand consequences: 54.6% had studying or sleep interrupted and 43.3% were inconvenienced by vomit. Common helping behaviors were giving someone water (35.3%) and driving or walking someone home (34.4%). Non-drinkers were most willing to help a drunken friend (Mean 4.63+0.64) then a room-mate (Mean 4.50+0.70), then a wing-mate (Mean 4.05+0.76) then a stranger (Mean 3.10+1.03). Students' efficacy was higher for helping drunken students get home (Mean 3.40+0.80) then for helping drunken students to drink less (Mean 2.73+0.97). Increased helping self-efficacy (std beta 0.32, p<0.0001), secondhand consequences (std beta 0.33, p<0.0001), being in alcohol situations (std beta 0.26, p<.0001), being Black/African-American (std beta 0.14, p=.02), and willingness to help (std beta 0.11, p=.06) predicted non-drinkers' helping behaviors (R2 = 36.9%). Conclusions: Non-drinkers often experience secondhand consequences and may be more likely to help drunken students if they develop more self-efficacy and willingness to help.