Giving means receiving: The protective effect of social capital on binge drinking on college campuses

Objectives. We tested whether higher levels of social capital on college campuses protected against individual risks of binge drinking. Methods. We used a nationally representative survey of 17 592 young people enrolled at 140 4-year colleges. Social capital was operationalized as individuals' average time committed to volunteering in the past month aggregated to the campus level. Results. In multivariate analyses controlling for individual volunteering, sociodemographics, and several college characteristics, individuals from campuses with higher-than-average levels of social capital had a 26% lower individual risk for binge drinking (P<.001) than their peers at other schools. Conclusions. Social capital may play an important role in preventing binge drinking in the college setting.