NCJ Number
225626
Journal
Journal of Adolescent Research Volume: 24 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2009 Pages: 21-36
Date Published
January 2009
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study examined the scope of universities shifting from gender-specific to coed dorms.
Abstract
Results found that coed residence halls have become the overwhelmingly dominant form of college housing today. Specifically, a detailed inquiry into the occupancy numbers of college housing at these universities found that more than 90 percent of college housing is now coed in nature at large universities and a similar majority of housing is coed at midsized and small universities, although smaller universities showed more variety in their approach to on-campus housing. Results suggest that the prevalence of coed housing raises a number of questions about housing policies at universities and the resulting consequences of the decline of in loco parentis on college campuses. With one of the only modern research studies looking at coed housing suggesting that students in coed housing may be more prone to binge drinking than students in gender-specific housing, emerging adulthood scholars must turn more attention to both replicating these results and looking at other aspects of student behavior. If researchers continue to investigate how housing environments influence emerging adult behavior, universities and colleges will be better able to develop housing policies that encourage healthy student development. References