Unsupervised Leisure Time and Risky Drinking among College Freshmen: Does the Number of Friends Matter?

• In Event: Guardianship and Crime

Abstract

Researchers have found a relationship between spending leisure time engaged in unsupervised activities with friends and deviance. Few studies, however, have examined how emerging adults transitioning to college spend their time and how that time use is related to risky drinking behaviors. When youth move to college, they experience more autonomy in daily decision-making, including time use and friendship choices that may facilitate engaging in risky drinking-related behaviors. We used momentary assessments together with multiple waves of panel data to examine whether college freshmen who more often reported spending their time engaged in leisure activities with at least a few friends were more likely to report engaging in risky drinking behaviors than the freshmen who did not spend as much time in this activity setting. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings.

Authors

• Timothy C. Barnum, University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Amy L. Anderson, University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Samantha Clinkinbeard, University of Nebraska at Omaha