Feedback-based alcohol interventions for mandated students: an effectiveness study of three modalities.

UNLABELLED: The present study used a randomized clinical trial design to examine the effectiveness of personalized alcohol feedback delivered individually, in a group and via computer on alcohol use and related negative consequences in a sample of 173 college students referred for alcohol-related violations. Findings revealed statistically significant reductions in alcohol use and related harms for the individually delivered intervention, with significant reductions in alcohol-related harms for the electronically delivered intervention. No statistically significant results were found for the group-delivered intervention or between groups, and a main effect of time was noted for all outcome variables. This study adds to the literature by being the first randomized clinical trial to include analyses of an empirically supported individually delivered personalized alcohol feedback intervention with more cost-effective group-delivered and electronically delivered feedback formats within a single research design, by expanding the range of participant drinking habits reported at baseline to include all drinking levels and not solely those classified as 'heavy drinking' and by providing anonymity pre-intervention and post-intervention given the potential demand characteristics to underreport illegal and/or illicit behaviours in this vulnerable population. KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGE: Personalized alcohol feedback delivered in a one-on-one, face-to-face format serves to decrease both alcohol use and harms in mandated college students. The use of web-delivered personalized alcohol feedback may be clinically useful when working with a mandated student population to reduce alcohol-related harms. Personalized alcohol feedback delivered in a group setting may not be indicated for use with a mandated student population as it does not demonstrate decreases in either alcohol use or harms, possibly because of the normalization of deviant behaviour.

Reducing alcohol use in mandated college students: A comparison of a Brief Motivational Intervention (BMI) and the Expectancy Challenge Alcohol Literacy Curriculum (ECALC).

In this randomized trial, 121 mandated college students (33% female, 74% Caucasian, M age = 19.42 years) received either a Brief Motivational Intervention (BMI) with personalized normative feedback (PNF) or the Expectancy Challenge Alcohol Literacy Curriculum (ECALC) to compare effectiveness in reducing alcohol use and associated harms. All participants received either BMI content (n = 63) or ECALC (n = 58). ECALC was delivered as a web-based program with clinician assistance. Measures of alcohol use and harms were completed at baseline and 4 weeks postintervention. ECALC produced significant reductions on all 4 positive expectancy subscales of the Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol Scale (CEOA). Both programs were associated with significant reductions on all alcohol use variables and harms, and expectancies significantly mediated the intervention to outcome relationship in the ECALC condition. There were no significant gender differences. Two one-sided equivalence test indicated superior effects for ECALC compared to BMI on four alcohol use variables (mean blood alcohol concentration, peak blood alcohol concentration, peak drinks per sitting, and drinking days per month), and noninferior to BMI in reducing others (mean drinks per sitting, mean drinks per week, & binge drinking). Superior effects of ECALC versus BMI are based on a short-term follow-up, and longevity of ECALC effects have yet to be established. ECALC has previously been found to be effective as a group-delivered program for male fraternity members, and these findings provide preliminary support for effectiveness for both males and females when delivered individually using a web-based clinician-assisted format. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).