Brief Live Interactive Normative Group Intervention Using Wireless Keypads to Reduce Drinking and Alcohol Consequences in College Student Athletes

• NCJ Number: 226444
• Journal: Drug and Alcohol Review Volume: 28 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2009 Pages: 40-47
• Author(s): Joseph W. LaBrie; Justin F. Hummer; Karen K. Huchting; Clayton Neighbors
• Date Published: January 2009
• Length: 8 pages
• Grant Number(s): U18 AA015451-01
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services; Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

This study explored group-specific normative feedback interventions among campus groups with heightened risk for alcohol-related behaviors.

Abstract

Results revealed that at 1 month post-intervention, perceived group norms, behavior, attitudes, and consequences were reduced when compared with baseline scores; reductions remained at the 2 month followup. This suggests the effectiveness of a novel, group-based, normative alcohol intervention among student athletes. The findings extend previous research by using innovative, technologically-advanced techniques in the application of group-specific normative feedback with student athletes. Discrepancies were challenged in a live feedback setting, which authenticated the presence of misperceptions that were held by the group and allowed for homogenous exposure across participants. This created an environment through which the theoretical foundation of the research design could be realized. Data were collected from 705 student athletes who accepted an electronically mailed invitation to participate in a study about alcohol-related behaviors. Participants completed an initial Web-based survey approximately 1 month into the spring semester, followed by the group intervention approximately 2 weeks later. Figures, tables, references, and appendix