There and Back Again...Safely: Examining Students' Reports of Substance Use and Sexual Assault Prevention Program Receipt Prior to Departure Abroad

Abstract

Many universities have pre departure programs that aim to prevent alcohol misuse and sexual assault among college students abroad, yet little is known about students’ uptake of this preventative information. In this study, 2,245 study abroad students from 63 different institutions were asked about receiving pre departure alcohol/drug and sexual assa ult prevention information. Only 38% of students reported receiving pre departure information specific to alcohol/drug misuse abroad and only 22% reported receiving sexual assault prevention information prior to departure. Notably, students who were heavie r drinkers prior to departure and those who intended to drink the most while abroad reported lower rates of information receipt. Overall, these findings suggest that either students are not receiving the preventative information that universities intend them to receive or the programming is not impactful enough to be recalled. Thus, there may be missed opportunities to better prepare students for risks specific to study abroad programs.