College students' marijuana use clustered within friend groups in residence halls
In a college residence hall network, peer marijuana and alcohol use were significantly associated with individual use, while peer exercise levels were not, suggesting substance use may be more socially contagious.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers mapped the social network of 129 college students living in one residence hall and examined whether peers' substance use and exercise behaviors were associated with individual behavior. Students nominated an average of 4.1 hall members as important to them, with 53.9% of connections being reciprocal.
Six distinct social clusters emerged within the hall, and these clusters differed significantly on substance use and exercise behaviors. After controlling for demographics, peer alcohol consumption and peer marijuana use were both significantly associated with individual substance use. However, peers' exercise levels showed no association with individual exercise.
The asymmetry between substance use and exercise as socially influenced behaviors suggests that peer-based interventions may be more effective for targeting substance use than physical activity.
Key Numbers
129 students, 6 social clusters identified. Average of 4.1 nominated peers. 53.9% reciprocal ties. Peer marijuana and alcohol use were significantly associated with individual use. Peer exercise was not associated with individual exercise.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional social network study of 129 undergraduates (51.9% female) in one residence hall. Web-based survey assessed substance use, exercise, and social connections. Community detection cluster analysis identified peer groupings. Network autocorrelation modeling examined associations between peer and participant behaviors.
Why This Research Matters
Understanding that marijuana use clusters within peer networks helps explain how use spreads among college students and suggests that peer-based prevention programs could be effective targets for intervention.
The Bigger Picture
The finding that substance use is more socially contagious than health-promoting behaviors like exercise has practical implications for campus prevention programs. It suggests that peer influence interventions might be particularly well suited for substance use reduction but may need different approaches for promoting healthy behaviors.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine whether peers influenced each other or whether similar individuals selected each other as friends (selection vs. influence). Limited to one residence hall at one university. Small sample size. Self-reported substance use may be subject to bias.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does changing a few key individuals' behavior in a network reduce overall marijuana use?
- ?Would longitudinal tracking distinguish peer influence from friend selection?
- ?Do these patterns hold in non-residential college settings?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Peer marijuana and alcohol use predicted individual use; peer exercise did not
- Evidence Grade:
- Social network analysis with appropriate statistical methods, but cross-sectional design at a single residence hall limits causal conclusions.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2014.
- Original Title:
- Peer associations for substance use and exercise in a college student social network.
- Published In:
- Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 33(10), 1134-42 (2014)
- Authors:
- Barnett, Nancy P(3), Ott, Miles Q, Rogers, Michelle L, Loxley, Michelle, Linkletter, Crystal, Clark, Melissa A
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00765
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do your friends' marijuana use predict your own?
In this study of college students living together, peer marijuana use was significantly associated with individual marijuana use, even after controlling for demographics. However, the cross-sectional design cannot determine whether friends influenced each other or simply chose friends with similar habits.
Is substance use more socially influenced than exercise?
This study found that peer alcohol and marijuana use were significantly associated with individual use, but peer exercise levels were not. This asymmetry suggests substance use may be more susceptible to social influence than health-promoting behaviors.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00765APA
Barnett, Nancy P; Ott, Miles Q; Rogers, Michelle L; Loxley, Michelle; Linkletter, Crystal; Clark, Melissa A. (2014). Peer associations for substance use and exercise in a college student social network.. Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 33(10), 1134-42. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034687
MLA
Barnett, Nancy P, et al. "Peer associations for substance use and exercise in a college student social network.." Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034687
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Peer associations for substance use and exercise in a colleg..." RTHC-00765. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/barnett-2014-peer-associations-for-substance
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.