Barroom Aggression Among Australian Men: Associations With Heavy Episodic Drinking, Conformity to Masculine Norms, and Personal and Perceived Peer Approval of Barroom Aggression

J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2016 May;77(3):421-30. Miller P1,2,3, Zinkiewicz L1, Hayley A1, Sonderlund A1, Litherland S1, Medew-Ewen T1, Wells S3,4,5, Graham K2,3,5,6. Author information 1 School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia. 2 National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia. 3 Social and Epidemiological Research Department, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, London, Ontario, Canada. 4 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada. 5 Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 6 Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada. Abstract OBJECTIVE: Research suggests that heavy episodic drinking (HED), perceived peer norms, and personal approval of aggression influence male barroom aggression (MBA). Qualitative research suggests that conformity to hegemonic masculine gender norms also influences MBA; however, quantitative research on the direct and indirect influence of masculinity on MBA is limited. This study tested the relationships between HED, conformity to masculine gender norms, and personal approval and peer approval of MBA on MBA perpetration, as well as the indirect effect of masculine norms on MBA via HED. METHOD: A convenience sample of Australian men (N = 322; mean age = 21.05 years, SD = 1.95; 76.9% university students) completed an online questionnaire, assessing HED and MBA over the previous year, and subscales of the Beliefs and Attitudes Towards Male Alcohol-Related Aggression Inventory and Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory-46. RESULTS: Negative binomial regression analyses found that, overall, HED, male peer approval, and personal approval of MBA directly predicted increased risk of verbal and physical MBA perpetration. Greater conformity to specific masculine norms also increased (Power Over Women) and decreased (Emotional Control, Heterosexual Self-Presentation) risk of MBA perpetration. The masculine norms Risk Taking, Playboy, and Emotional Control were found to be indirect predictors of MBA via HED. CONCLUSIONS: Risk of MBA perpetration is increased primarily by HED as a direct, but also mediating, predictor. Personal and male peer approval of MBA, and specific masculine norms, further increase this risk whereas other masculine norms appear protective. PMID: 27172574 [Indexed for MEDLINE]