ABSTRACT
The college years are a uniquely challenging developmental period. For most, entry into college is a watershed ontogenetic event—the initial, sustained foray into adult roles where individuals, for the first time, are largely unsupervised by parents or other adult authorities. Perhaps then, it should not be surprising that problems like substance abuse and violent behavior are comparatively frequent occurrences among college students. Indeed, epidemiological data indicate that alcohol and illicit drug use peak between the ages of 18 and 24 (Chen & Kandel, 1995), with college students demonstrating roughly comparable levels of illicit drug use and slightly higher levels of heavy drinking than their noncollege attending age peers (Johnson, O’Malley, & Bachman, 1999). Likewise, sexual assault and relationship violence are most prevalent in late adolescence and young adulthood (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1997; Leonard & Senchak, 1993; Rogers, 1994) and, as detailed in this chapter, occur with relative frequency during the college years. Despite the comparatively high base rates for both substance use and violence among college students, research examining the overlap between these two behaviors in this population is limited both in scope and methodology. These shortcomings limit the ability to draw strong inferences regarding both the actual overlap between substance abuse and violence, as well as the underlying nature of the relations.
