NCJ Number
233482
Journal
Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 20 Issue: 1 Dated: January - March 2011 Pages: 82-98
Date Published
January 2011
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the effectiveness of targeted interventions among college students at high-risk for drinking and alcohol-related problems.
Abstract
This study examined the effectiveness of a single-session group motivational enhancement alcohol intervention on adjudicated male college students. Over 2 sequential academic years, 230 students sanctioned by the university for alcohol-related infractions attended a 60- to 75-minute group intervention. The intervention consisted of a timeline followback, social norms education, decisional balance for behavioral change, blood alcohol content (BAC) information, expectancy challenge, and generation of behavioral goals. Participants were followed weekly for 3 months and showed reductions in drinking (29 percent) and alcohol-related consequences (32 percent) at 3-month follow-up. The intervention was successful in reducing drinking for both first-year students and upperclassmen, with reductions appearing to be a function of the intervention and not the citation itself. Furthermore, a post hoc control condition revealed that those participants randomly assigned to the intervention group condition reduced drinking (19 percent) and alcohol-related consequences (44 percent) more than participants in the control condition over 1 month. These results provide continued evidence of the effectiveness of group motivational enhancement interventions with adjudicated male college students. Figures and references (Published Abstract)