Rates and Correlates of Binge Drinking Among College Students With Disabilities, United States, 2013

Increased risk for binge drinking among college students with disability who report sexual violence

ObjectiveThis study investigated binge drinking in college students with and without disabilities and sexual violence (SV). Participants: This analysis includes 2,113 college students recruited from campus health or counseling centers between 2015 and 2017, aged 18-24. Method: Multinomial logistic regression procedures were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for past month binge drinking days (BDD). Results: Among students with disabilities, 68% endorsed SV, compared with 53% of those without disability. Disability was not significantly associated with BDD; SV was significantly associated with BDD (p < .0001). Students with SV, regardless of disability status, had 1.7- to 2.1-fold greater odds of having 4+ past month BDD. Conclusions: While disability alone is not a risk factor for binge drinking, novel findings include that students with disabilities binge drink at similarly high rates to their nondisabled peers, and are at elevated risk for SV, which is closely associated with binge drinking.

Perceptions of College Campus Alcohol and Sexual Violence Prevention Among Students with Disabilities: "It Was A Joke"

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to understand perceptions of campus-based alcohol and sexual violence (SV) prevention programming among college students with disabilities to inform future development of prevention programs appropriate for the needs of these students.

METHOD

The study included semi-structured, qualitative interviews with 51 college students with disabilities who reported histories of SV recruited from a larger parent study investigating a brief universal intervention to reduce alcohol related SV involving 28 campuses across Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Interviews focused on college-related experiences of prevention programming, and experiences of health, disability, alcohol use and violence victimization. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Three themes emerged: (1) Students with disabilities described campus prevention programming as ineffective and irrelevant to their experiences, including referring to programs as "a joke," (2) Students wanted multi-dose, developmentally relevant content that directly addresses the complexities of their experiences with disability, alcohol, and violence, and (3) Students called for programing focused on engaging their interests.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results point to the need to augment campus-based programming, with attention to the unique needs and relevant concerns of students with disabilities, within the broader context of campus prevention programming.

Navigating Uncertainty, Employment, and Women's Safety During COVID-19: Reflections of Sexual Assault Resistance Educators

COVID‐19 affects women in ways unique to the impacts of structural inequalities related to gender, sexuality, disability, race and socioeconomic status. In this article, we reflect on our own experiences of the pandemic, as feminist students, workers and sexual assault resistance educators located in a Canadian post‐secondary setting. Situating ourselves within feminist responses to sexual violence prevention, as facilitators of the Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, and Act (EAAA) sexual assault resistance education programme for university women, we reflect on the impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on our work as EAAA facilitators in our Canadian university. We explore the theoretical possibilities that critical disability theory and queer theory present to the EAAA programme, and argue that incorporating concepts from these frameworks will complement the goals of the EAAA programme and improve inclusivity of queer, trans and disabled participants. We conclude with a look into the future by anticipating the impacts of COVID‐19 on our future work.

The health of college students on the autism spectrum as compared to their neurotypical peers

LAY ABSTRACT

Studies have shown that children and older adults on the autism spectrum experience more physical and mental health problems than their neurotypical peers. Less is known about the physical and mental health of college students on the spectrum. Studying college students is important because young adults on the spectrum are enrolling in college at increasing rates and because health problems can be a barrier to succeeding in college. We collected data from 2820 students at 14 colleges and universities using an online survey, some of whom had registered for accommodations based on autism and others of whom had not. We used the data to compare the physical and mental health of students on the spectrum to their neurotypical peers. Because students with autism often report other disabilities that also affect health, we accounted for whether they experienced a learning disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, sensory impairment, mobility impairment, mental health disorder, or any other disabilities. We assessed health using self-reports of how healthy they were physically and mentally, and reports of depressive symptoms, symptoms of anxiety, sleep deprivation, and binge drinking. We found that students with autism reported poorer physical and mental health, more depressive symptoms, and more symptoms of anxiety even after taking into account other disabilities they may have experienced. They were also less likely to report sleep deprivation and binge drinking. Our results argue for developing specialized services to address the physical and mental health challenges of college students on the spectrum.