Information/knowledge/education alone
Information/knowledge/education programs solely provide students with alcohol-related education (e.g., how alcohol is processed by the body, potential consequences of alcohol misuse), without any alcohol-specific skills training.
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Effectiveness: X = Not effective
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Cost: $$ = Mid-range
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Research Amount: **** = 11+ studies
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Public Health Reach: Broad
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Primary Modality: In-person group
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Staffing Expertise Needed: Coordinator
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Target Population: Individuals, specific groups, or all students
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Duration of Effects: No short- or long-term effects
Although this approach is a component of larger, effective programs such as BASICS and ASTP, it is rated here as a stand-alone intervention.
Effectiveness ratings are based on the percentage of studies reporting any positive outcomes. Strategies with three or fewer studies did not receive an effectiveness rating due to the limited data on which to base a conclusion. Cost ratings are based on the relative program and staff costs for adoption, implementation, and maintenance of a strategy. Actual costs will vary by institution, depending on size, existing programs, and other campus and community factors. Barriers to implementing a strategy include cost and opposition, among other factors. Public health reach refers to the number of students that a strategy affects. Strategies with a broad reach affect all students or a large group of students (e.g., all underage students); strategies with a focused reach affect individuals or small groups of students (e.g., sanctioned students). Research amount/quality refers to the number of randomized controlled trials (RCT) that evaluated the strategy. Duration of effects refers to the timeframe within which the intervention demonstrated effects on alcohol-related behavioral outcomes; follow-up periods for short-term effects were <6 months; follow-up periods for long-term effects were ≥6 months.
Larimer, M.E.; and Cronce, J.M. Identification, prevention, and treatment: A review of individual-focused strategies to reduce problematic alcohol consumption by college students. Journal of Studies on Alcohol (Suppl. 14):148–63, 2002.
- Darkes, J.; and Goldman, M.S. Expectancy challenge and drinking reduction: Experimental evidence for a mediational process. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 61(2):344–53, 1993.
- Flynn, C.A.; and Brown, W.E. The effects of a mandatory alcohol education program on college student problem drinkers. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education 37(1):15–24, 1991.
- Garvin, R.B.; Alcorn, J.D.; and Faulkner, K.K. Behavioral strategies for alcohol abuse prevention with high-risk college males. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education36(1):23–34, 1990.
- Kivlahan, D.R.; Marlatt, G.A.; Fromme, K.; Coppel, D.B.; and Williams, E. Secondary prevention with college drinkers: Evaluation of an alcohol skills training program. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 58(6):805–10, 1990.
- Meier, S.T. An exploratory study of a computer-assisted alcohol education program. Computers in Human Services 3(3-4):111–21, 1988.
- Roush, K.L.; and Deblassie, R.R. Structured group counseling for college students of alcoholic parents. Journal of College Student Development 30(3):276–7, 1989.
- Schall, M.; Kemeny, A.; and Maltzman, I. Drinking by university dormitory residents: Its prediction and amelioration. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education36(3):75–86, 1991.
Larimer, M.E.; and Cronce, J.M. Identification, prevention, and treatment revisited: Individual-focused college drinking prevention strategies 1999–2006. Addictive Behaviors 32:2439–68, 2007.
- Chiauzzi, E.; Green, T.C.; Lord, S.; Thum, C.; and Goldstein, M. My student body: A high-risk drinking prevention web site for college students. Journal of American College Health, 53:263−74, 2005.
- Collins, S.E.; Carey, K.B.; and Sliwinski, M.J. Mailed personalized normative feedback as a brief intervention for at-risk college drinkers . Journal of Studies on Alcohol 63(5):559−67, 2002.
- Keillor, R.M.; Perkins, W.B.; and Horan, J.J. Effects of videotaped expectancy challenges on alcohol consumption of adjudicated students. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy 13(3):179−87, 1999.
- Kypri, K.; Saunders, J.B.; Williams, S.M.; McGee, R.O.; Langley, J.D.; Cashell-Smith, M.L.; et al. Web-based screening and brief intervention for hazardous drinking: A double-blind randomized controlled trial. Addiction 99(11):1410−17, 2004.
- LaChance, H.; Feldstein Ewing, S.W.; Bryan, A.D.; and Hutchison, K.E. What makes group MET work? A randomized controlled trial of college student drinkers in mandated alcohol diversion. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 23(4):598-612, 2009.
- Lysaught, E.M.; Wodarski, J.S.; and Parris, H. A comparison of an assessment/information-based group versus an assessment-only group: An investigation of drinking reduction with young adults. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment 8(4):23−43, 2003.
- Murphy, J.G.; Duchnick, J.J.; Vuchinich, R.E.; Davison, J.W.; Karg, R.S.; Olson, A.M.; et al. Relative efficacy of a brief motivational intervention for college student drinkers. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 15(4):373−9, 2001.
- Neal, D.J.; and Carey, K.B. Developing discrepancy within self regulation theory: Use of personalized normative feedback and personal strivings with heavy-drinking college students. Addictive Behaviors 29(2):281−97, 2004.
- Neighbors, C.; Spieker, C.J.; Oster-Aaland, L.; Lewis, M.A.; and Bergstrom, R.L. Celebration intoxication: An evaluation of 21st birthday alcohol consumption. Journal of American College Health 54(2):76−80, 2005.
- Sharmer, L. Evaluation of alcohol education programs on attitude, knowledge, and self-reported behavior of college students. Evaluation and the Health Professions 23(3):336−57, 2001.
- Smith, B.H.; Bogle, K.E.; Talbott, L.; Gant, R.; and Castillo, H. A randomized study of four cards designed to prevent problems during college students’ 21st birthday celebrations. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 67(4):607−15, 2006.
Cronce, J.M.; and Larimer, M.E. Individual-focused approaches to the prevention of college student drinking. Alcohol Research and Health 34(2):210–21, 2011.
- Doumas, D.M.; and Haustveit, T. Reducing heavy drinking in intercollegiate athletes: Evaluation of a Web-based personalized feedback program . TheSport Psychologist, 22:212–28, 2008.
- Doumas, D.M.; McKinley, L.L.; and Book, P. Evaluation of two Web-based alcohol interventions for mandated college students. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 36(1):65–74, 2009.
- Schaus, J.F.; Sole, M.L.; McCoy, T.P.; Mullett, N.; and O’Brien, M.C. Alcohol screening and brief intervention in a college student health center: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs (Suppl. 16):131–41, 2009.
- Thadani, V.; Huchting, K.; and LaBrie, J. Alcohol-related information in multi-component interventions and college students’ drinking behavior. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education 53(2):31–51, 2009.
Additional studies not identified in prior reviews
- Hembroff, L.; Atkin, C.; Martell, D.; McCue, C.; and Greenamyer, J.T. Evaluation results of a 21st birthday card program targeting high-risk drinking. Journal of American College Health 56(3):325–32, 2007.
References from 2019 update
- Bernstein, M.H.; Wood, M.D.; and Erickson, L.R. The effectiveness of message framing and temporal context on college student alcohol use and problems: A selective e-mail intervention. Alcohol and Alcoholism 51(1):106–116, 2015.
- Donovan, E.; Das Mahapatra, P.; Green, T.C.; et al. Efficacy of an online intervention to reduce alcohol-related risks among community college students. Addiction Research & Theory 23(5):437–447, 2015.
- Gerend, M.A.; and Cullen, M. Effects of message framing and temporal context on college student drinking behavior. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 44(4):1167–1173, 2008.
- Logan, D.E.; Kilmer, J.R.; King, K.M.; and Larimer, M.E. Alcohol interventions for mandated students: Behavioral outcomes from a randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 76(1):31–37, 2015.
- Martens, M.P.; Smith, A.E.; and Murphy, J.G. The efficacy of single-component brief motivational interventions among at-risk college drinkers.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 81(4):691–701, 2013.
- Riordan, B.C.; Conner, T.S.; Flett, J.M.; and Scarf, D. A brief orientation week ecological momentary intervention to reduce university student alcohol consumption. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs76(4):525–529, 2015.
- Riordan, B.C.; Conner, T.S.; Flett, J.A.; and Scarf, D. A text message intervention to reduce first year university students’ alcohol use: A pilot experimental study. Digital Health 3(1), 2017.
- Weitzel, J.A.; Bernhardt, J.M.; Usdan, S.; et al. Using wireless handheld computers and tailored text messaging to reduce negative consequence of drinking alcohol.Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 68(4):534–537, 2007.
Resources are only identified for programs with sufficient research support for CollegeAIM to rate as effective at any level (higher, moderate, or lower).
