Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35494415›Full record

ArticlePsychology of violence2020

Alcohol Intoxication Impairs the Bystander Intervention Process in a Hypothetical Sexual Assault: A Field Investigation.

Alexander J Melkonian, Lindsay S Ham, Jacquelyn D Wiersma-Mosley, Kyle K Jackson, Alita M Mobley, Kristen N Jozkowski, Malachi Willis, Ana J Bridges

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Psychology of violence, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
3.5field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. The bystander intervention for problematic alcohol use model (BIPAUM).Journal of American college health : J of ACH · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Alcohol and cannabis co-use and social context as risk pathways to sexual assault.Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors · 2021
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Alexander J MelkonianRalph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center.
Lindsay S HamUniversity of Arkansas.
Jacquelyn D Wiersma-MosleyUniversity of Arkansas.
Kyle K JacksonUniversity of Arkansas.
Alita M MobleyUniversity of Arkansas.
Kristen N JozkowskiIndiana University.
Malachi WillisUniversity of Arkansas.
Ana J BridgesUniversity of Arkansas.
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville · USIndiana University · USRalph H. Johnson VA Medical Center · US

Funding

The Effect of Alcohol on Bystander InterventionR21AA023230 · NIAAA · UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT FAYETTEVILLE · PI HAM, LINDSAY S. · 2015 to 2016
$365k
NIAAA NIH HHS R21 AA023230
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: High rates of alcohol-related sexual assault among young adults represent a significant public health problem. Bystander intervention programs are a promising strategy to reduce sexual assault incidence. However, little is known about how bystander intoxication may modify bystander intervention effectiveness. We examined the role of bystander intoxication and intoxication levels of the hypothetical victim and perpetrator on outcomes associated with Latané and Darley's (1970) steps of bystander intervention, which include noticing a situation, assessment of risk and need for intervention, taking personal responsibility for intervening, and selecting an intervention. Method: In a field setting, participants were recruited from a downtown area surrounded by several drinking establishments. After providing informed consent, 327 participants (45% women) ages 21 - 29 years listened to one of four sexual assault vignettes (varied by victim and perpetrator intoxication), responded to questionnaires assessing outcomes related to steps of bystander intervention, and completed a field breathalyzer test to measure intoxication level. Results: We found that increased participant intoxication was related to decreased accuracy of situation recall and assessment of risk and need for intervention, but not ratings of personal responsibility to intervene, chosen intervention strategy, or confidence to intervene. Conclusions: Intoxication could influence how a bystander interprets a hypothetical nonconsensual sexual interaction at the level of accurate situation recall and risk assessment. If the early steps of information processing are impaired by intoxication, later steps of intervention enactment may not occur successfully. Bystander intervention programming may consider incorporating training to overcome the impairing effects of intoxication for identifying harmful situations and choosing to intervene.

Indexed as

alcohol intoxicationBystander interventionfield settingsexual assault

Identifiers

PMID35494415
PMCPMC9053246
OpenAlexW3010789175

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.