Perceptions of College Life, Emotional Well‐being and Patterns of Drug and Alcohol Use among Oxford Undergraduates

ABSTACT

An anonymous questionnaire was sent to all the undergraduates in a single College within Oxford University in order to explore perceptions of university life, levels of stress and emotional well‐being, attitudes and beliefs about alcohol and drugs, and the pattern of use of these substances.

The response rate was 76%. There was a high level of contentment with College life, but a third of students had felt rejected on grounds of social class, and a third of the women reported sexual discrimination or harassment. Average self esteem of the women equated to a control population, but that of the men was abnormally high. Promiscuous sexual behaviour was unusual. A third of the women reported at least one episode of problematic binge‐eating or dieting. Correlational analysis suggested the existence of a small minority of vulnerable, unhappy students.

Drug and alcohol use among Oxford undergraduates approximates to that of a similar age group in the general population. A third of students consume more than accepted levels of safe drinking. Drug use was largely confined to drugs other than heroin and cocaine, and 56% of the respondents had tried cannabis. The illegality of drugs had little influence on levels of consumption. Drug or alcohol use did not correlate with physical or emotional problems. Students with problems were most likely to turn to other students for help, suggesting that properly‐supported student counsellors would be a useful resource.