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Blankenau A, Wax A, Auerbach L, Schuman ZD, Hopmeyer A. Queer Peer Crowds on Campus: LGBT Crowd Affiliation as a Critical Correlate of College Students' Loneliness, Academic Well-Being, & Stress. J Homosex 2023; 70:1411-1439. [PMID: 35112989 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2022.2030616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The current study explored whether affiliating with an LGBT peer crowd on a college campus differentially predicts college adjustment (including loneliness, college belongingness, academic well-being, and stress), as opposed to affiliating with a non-LGBT peer crowd. Based on a sample of 692 students from a small liberal arts college in Southern California, factor and path analyses were carried out. Results indicated that, of all the crowd affiliations, affiliating with an LGBT peer crowd was the strongest predictor of loneliness, academic well-being, and stress. However, affiliating with an LGBT peer crowd was not the strongest predictor of college belongingness. Implications and applications of these results are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy Wax
- California State University, Long Beach, California, USA
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Tabangcura KR, Taketa R, Kawamoto CT, Amin S, Sussman S, Okamoto SK, Pokhrel P. Peer Crowds and Tobacco Product Use in Hawai'i: A Qualitative Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:1029. [PMID: 36673785 PMCID: PMC9859235 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Young adults often derive self-identity from affiliation with peer crowds, which may be defined as reputation-based peer groups centered around characterizable lifestyle norms. Little is known about peer crowds prevalent among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations and the peer crowds' normative tobacco and other substance use behavior. To address this gap in knowledge, this study conducted focus groups with young adult community college students. METHODS Focus group discussions were conducted with a convenience sample of 42 young adults (Mean age = 21.5, SD = 2.7) recruited across community colleges on O'ahu, Hawai'i. The participants represented 60% women, 55% NHPI, and 29% Asian American. RESULTS Results indicated the presence of a wide range of peer crowds in the population, which may be classified into the following seven categories prevalent in the literature: Regular, Academic, Alternative, Athlete, Geek, High Risk, and Popular. Several peer crowds within the Alternative, Athlete, Geek, High Risk, and Popular categories appeared to represent subcultures relevant for NHPI young adults. High-risk peer crowds were reported to be vulnerable to different types of substance use. Tobacco product use, particularly e-cigarette use or vaping, was noted to be characteristically present among Popular crowds and certain Athlete crowds. CONCLUSION Tobacco and other substance use prevention interventions, such as mass media campaigns, may benefit from targeting high-risk peer crowds, especially those relevant for NHPI young adults, who are at high risk for tobacco and other substance use. E-cigarette use prevention interventions may benefit from paying close attention to vulnerable Popular and Athlete groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayzel R. Tabangcura
- Population Sciences in the Pacific Program, University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 701 Ilalo St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Rachel Taketa
- Population Sciences in the Pacific Program, University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 701 Ilalo St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Crissy T. Kawamoto
- Population Sciences in the Pacific Program, University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 701 Ilalo St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Samia Amin
- Population Sciences in the Pacific Program, University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 701 Ilalo St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Steve Sussman
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, SSB 302A 2001 N. Soto St., Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Scott K. Okamoto
- Population Sciences in the Pacific Program, University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 701 Ilalo St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Pallav Pokhrel
- Population Sciences in the Pacific Program, University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 701 Ilalo St., Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
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Sussman S, Galimov A, Meza L, Huh J, Baezconde-Garbanati L, Pokhrel P. Peer Crowd Identification of Young and Early Middle Adulthood Customers at Vape Shops. J Drug Educ 2021; 50:98-107. [PMID: 35678625 PMCID: PMC9359667 DOI: 10.1177/00472379221106365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Vape shops specialize in the sales of e-cigarettes and other vaping products. In recent studies, young adults who use e-cigarettes have tended to identify with at-risk peer crowds. This is the first study to examine vape shop customers' clientele. Composed primarily of young adults and persons in early middle adulthood, we speculated that a relatively high prevalence of those who appeared to bystanders as radical/extreme (at-risk) customers would be identified as such at these shops. We recruited vape shops throughout Southern California (N = 44 shops), and trained teams of data collectors visited each of the consented vape shops, making note of 451 customers' appearance, including features such as manner of dress, presence of tattoos, and hairstyles. Customers were then coded as either belonging to a conventional, progressive, or radical/extreme crowd based on outward appearance. Of the customers observed, 223 (49%) were rated as appearing to be in the conventional crowd; 169 (38%) were rated as appearing to be in the progressive crowd, and only 59 (13%) were rated as appearing to be in the radical/extreme crowd. The conventional crowd tended to appear older. Clientele may reflect that more conventional young and early middle age adults are tempted to visit vape shops due to perceptions of greater acceptability or safety of e-cigarettes. E-cigarette mass media campaigns aimed at protecting potential vape shop customers from harm may need to depict more conservative-looking characters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Sussman
- Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Artur Galimov
- Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Leah Meza
- Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jimi Huh
- Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati
- Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Pallav Pokhrel
- Population Sciences Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI, USA
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Abstract
Purpose. Peer crowd-targeted campaigns are a novel approach to engage high-risk young adults in tobacco use prevention and cessation. We elicited the perspectives of young adult key informants to understand how and why two social branding interventions were effective: (1) "COMMUNE," designed for "Hipsters" as a movement of artists and musicians against Big Tobacco, and (2) "HAVOC," designed for "Partiers" as an exclusive, smoke-free clubbing experience. Design. Qualitative study (27 semistructured qualitative phone interviews). Setting. Intervention events held in bars in multiple U.S. cities. Participants: Twenty-seven key informants involved in COMMUNE or HAVOC as organizers (e.g., musicians, event coordinators) or event attendees. Measures. We conducted semistructured, in-depth interviews. Participants described intervention events and features that worked or did not work well. Analysis. We used an inductive-deductive approach to thematically code interview transcripts, integrating concepts from intervention design literature and emergent themes. Results: Participants emphasized the importance of fun, interactive, social environments that encouraged a sense of belonging. Anti-tobacco messaging was subtle and nonjudgmental and resonated with their interests, values, and aesthetics. Young adults who represented the intervention were admired and influential among peers, and intervention promotional materials encouraged brand recognition and social status. Conclusion. Anti-tobacco interventions for high-risk young adults should encourage fun experiences; resonate with their interests, values, and aesthetics; and use subtle, nonjudgmental messaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Toledo
- Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Julia McQuoid
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Pamela M. Ling
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Morse AML, Wax A, Malmquist EJ, Hopmeyer A. Protester, Partygoer, or Simply Playing It Down? The Impact of Crowd Affiliations on LGBT Emerging Adults' Socioemotional and Academic Adjustment to College. J Homosex 2021; 68:752-776. [PMID: 31441393 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2019.1657752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Although peer crowd affiliations have been studied among emerging adults in college, this work has yet to focus in on LGBT-identifying students. Accordingly, the current study a) surveyed the peer crowd landscape using a sample of 234 LGBT students (Mage = 19.89, SD = 1.55; 70.51% female, 18.38% male, 11.11% other) at a small, private, liberal arts college in Southern California, and b) explored the relationships between self-reported peer crowd affiliations and LGBT students' adjustment (i.e., loneliness, belongingness, and academic-, alcohol-, drug-, and sex-risk behaviors). Results point to the existence of four underlying peer crowd dimensions among LGBT students: protester, nonvocal, social, and athletic. Furthermore, affiliation with these peer crowds was found to relate to students' self-reported loneliness and academic-, drug-, and sex-risk behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis M L Morse
- Department of Psychology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Amy Wax
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Long Beach, California, USA
| | - Eric J Malmquist
- Department of Psychology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Andrea Hopmeyer
- Department of Psychology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California, USA
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