Sexual violence is a significant public health problem, particularly on college campuses, and disproportionately impacts women. Bystander intervention training has been identified as a promising intervention against sexual assault, as a third party is present in ∼1 in 3 incidents of sexual assault. However, research has found that men report greater barriers to intervention and less efficacy and intention to intervene. Research suggests that men’s masculine norm socialization may contribute to reluctance to intervene, but there is little research on the role of masculinity in potentially facilitating intervention. The purpose of this study was to identify an outlier population of college men (N = 15) who have intervened against sexual assault and to qualitatively examine the social and gender-relevant factors that influenced their intervention. Using grounded theory analysis, results indicated that the core category of “bystander intervention” was composed of direct, indirect, and passive bystander behaviors. These behaviors were influenced by five key categories, which included (a) exposure to training, (b) the role of alcohol, (c) social factors, (d) individual characteristics, and (e) masculine norms. Participants described their development and navigation of masculine norms, which in turn shaped their individual characteristics, exposure to training, and how they navigated the high-risk environments where they noticed potential assaults. Participants also described their decision-making process around intervening and the strategies they used to intervene. We present an emerging theory for understanding college men’s bystander intervention against sexual assault, incorporating both individual and social factors and the complex role of masculine norms.

Few studies have investigated alcohol-related problems among Asian American college students, perhaps because of the model minority myth, or the false stereotype that Asian Americans are academically and economically successful and thus do not experience significant physical or mental health problems. However, drinking patterns among Asian Americans are complex and there is evidence that alcohol use may be increasing among Asian American college students. One potential risk factor for alcohol-related problems among Asian American college students is racial discrimination. Although past research has revealed a link between experiences of racial discrimination and alcohol use, few studies have examined the psychological processes underlying this association. Furthermore, only a few studies have examined the association between discrimination and alcohol-related problems using longitudinal designs. The present study longitudinally examined the direct and indirect effect of discrimination on alcohol-related problems through the frequency in which they engaged in drinking to cope within a sample of 311 underage Asian American college students. Controlling for alcohol use and baseline alcohol-related problems, Wave 2 drinking-to-cope motives were directly associated with Wave 3 (1 year later) alcohol-related problems. Wave 1 discrimination was indirectly associated with Wave 3 alcohol-related problems through drinking to cope. These findings have important implications for the prevention of alcohol-related problems among an understudied group, Asian American college students. They highlight the necessity of considering how sociocultural factors such as racism contribute to alcohol-related problems as well as examining how psychological processes such as drinking to cope put certain students at increased risk.

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There is little understanding and minimal research identifying distinct subgroups of drinkers among ethnic minority populations, particularly Asian Americans, although growing evidence suggests that high-risk groups of Asian American drinkers exist. Sociocultural factors, including ethnic background and nativity status can be theoretically important factors that might be associated with these distinct groups. Additionally, well-established correlates of alcohol use, such as drinking to cope, Greek membership, and alcohol expectancies might also be associated with these distinct groups. The purpose of the study was to: (a) identify distinct classes of drinkers among 657 Asian American college students, and (b) examine the factors associated with the latent classes of drinkers. Four classes were identified, and the 2 high-risk groups included: (a) High Risk Binge Drinking class (10%): engaging in binge drinking (4 drinks in a 2 h sitting for women and 5 drinks for men) around 14.92 times in the past 3 months, reporting getting intoxicated 10.26 times over the past 3 months and 11 alcohol-related problems; (b) Monthly Binge Drinking class (27%): engaging in binge drinking 3.5 times in the past 3 months, reporting getting intoxicated 2.49 times over the past 3 months, and 7.8 alcohol-related problems. United States-born individuals were more likely to be in the High Risk Binge Drinking class; higher drinking to cope motives and being involved in a sorority or fraternity differentiated the higher drinking classes from the low-risk classes. Korean and South Asian Americans were less likely to be in the Monthly Binge Drinking class. This study illustrates that high risk drinking subgroups exist among Asian American young adults attending college, and identifies relevant correlates to drinking.

While past research has examined the deleterious effects of racism on Asian Americans, fewer studies have investigated lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Asian Americans' unique experiences of oppression and unbelonging within the broader LGBT community. Guided by intersectionality and minority stress theoretical frameworks, the present study examined the effect of discomfort due to one's race/ethnicity within the LGBT community on psychological well-being in a national sample of 480 LGBT Asian Americans from the Social Justice Sexuality Project. The moderating role of how important one considered their race/ethnicity to their identity was also examined. Regression analyses revealed that greater discomfort due to one's race/ethnicity within the LGBT community was associated with reduced psychological well-being for LGBT Asian Americans who viewed their racial/ethnic identity as moderately or highly important, whereas this association was not significant for LGBT Asian Americans who considered their racial/ethnic identity as less important. These findings highlight the necessity of examining the role of racial/ethnic discomfort in relation to LGBT Asian Americans' psychological wellbeing, as well as the extent to which LGBT Asian Americans consider their race/ethnicity as important. What is the public significance of this article?This study uses a national sample of LGBT Asian Americans to show that experiencing discomfort due to one's race/ethnicity within the LGBT community is associated with reduced psychological wellbeing. The effect of racial/ethnic discomfort for LGBT Asian Americans may also depend on how important they consider their race/ethnicity.