title: It isn't all just fun and games: Collegiate participation in extracurricular activities and risk for generalized and sexual harassment, psychological distress, and alcohol use.
abstract: Collegiate extracurricular activities, despite their benefits, may place students at an increased risk for experiencing harassment. This study utilizes multiple waves of data from an online longitudinal survey to examine how participation in college activities (intramural sports, fraternities/sororities, school clubs) relates to experiences of sexual and generalized harassment and outcomes (psychological distress, heavy alcohol use) among undergraduates (N = 1852, 58.6% female, 57.4% White) in the Midwestern United States. Activity participation was related to harassment, but the pattern depended on the activity, harassment type, and sex. Fraternity/sorority involvement was associated with generalized harassment, whereas school club involvement was linked to both generalized and sexual harassment. Female intramural athletes were at an increased risk to experience both harassment types. In addition to direct relations, activity participation was indirectly linked to future psychological distress (depression, anxiety) and heavy alcohol use via harassment. Implications for intervention with this college student population are discussed.
authors: North Central College, United States. Electronic address: meredithmcginley@gmail.com.
authors: Meredith
authors: M
authors: McGinley
authors: University of Illinois at Chicago, United States.
authors: Kathleen M
authors: KM
authors: Rospenda
authors: University of Illinois at Chicago, United States.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Liu
authors: University of Illinois at Chicago, United States.
authors: Judith A
authors: JA
authors: Richman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D058445:Bullying; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012306:Risk; D017406:Sexual Harassment / Q000523:psychology*; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol use; Extracurricular activities; Generalized harassment; Psychological distress; Sex; Sexual harassment