OBSERVATIONS

SFSS has developed an observation project to research high-risk drinking behaviors in the South Campus area. The intention of this project is to collect information on students’ alcohol use in various environments that is not reliant on retrospective, self-reported survey data. Surveys that seek to retrospectively generate data about alcohol use in a particular environment have limitations due to the detail needed to accurately describe such environments, particularly those that are distant from the individuals’ own experience at the location, as well as the level of intoxication at any given event that may prevent accurate recall.

To develop tools for data collection, the SFSS observation team researched similar efforts at other colleges. There have been few attempts to collect data in this manner, but San Diego State University (SDSU) runs one such project which is funded by an NIAAA grant. Their report, “Measuring College Students’ Alcohol Consumption in Natural Drinking Environments: Field Methodologies for Bars & Parties” was helpful in the development of the students’ methodology. For parties, the SDSU study looked at such factors as type of alcohol available, level of rowdy behavior, percentages of partygoers who were intoxicated, and whether food was available. For bars, they looked at such factors as whether and where IDs were checked, whether there was loud music or food offerings, whether the bartender “free-poured” drinks, and if there were drink specials. These factors are relevant to Berkeley as well.

SFSS team members read the SDSU report, gathered in focus groups, and adapted the methods to Berkeley’s particular circumstances. The students settled on a survey they felt would accurately record the protective and risk factors of each environment in which alcohol is made available to fellow students in the South Campus area. They chose anonymous data collection methods. The students would not survey peers or partygoers, but record the environment as they observed it.

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   party observations
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