Citation

Ham LS, Hurd LE, Wolkowicz NR, Wiersma-Mosley JD, Bridges AJ, Jozkowski KN. Emerg. Adulthood 2022; 10(6): 1430-1439.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/21676968211005323

PMID

36643881

PMCID

PMC9838732

Abstract

Emerging adults are especially vulnerable to experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault. While bystanders play a critical role in preventing sexual assault, little is known about how bystander alcohol intoxication affects the intervention process-particularly in naturalistic settings. We recruited 315 emerging adult bargoers ages 21-29 (46% women; 28% non-college attending; 81% White) from a high-density bar area to provide responses to a sexual assault vignette and complete a breath alcohol concentration test. In this field-based study, we found a negative direct association between intoxication and appraisal of risk in the hypothetical sexual assault situation. We also found a negative indirect relation of intoxication on perceptions of personal responsibility to intervene and confidence in the ability to intervene, statistically mediated through reduced risk appraisal.

FINDINGS add to the limited literature in laboratory-based settings suggesting that bystander intoxication interferes with sexual assault intervention and help inform effective bystander intervention programming for emerging adults.

Language: en

Keywords

alcohol; sexual assault; emerging adults; intoxication; bystander intervention