University of Houston

The University of Houston’s comprehensive prevention program is theory-driven and research-based, implementing strategies based on recommendations from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s Task Force on College Drinking. Two-year trend data have shown a reduction in selected negative consequences and an increase in abstinence rates, particularly among underage students.

One of the program’s components, Intent and Motivation: Alcohol Group Exercise (IMAGE), has resulted in implementation of self-protective behaviors consistently among high-risk groups (Greek Life, student athletes, and residence hall students) since January 2006. Additionally, the IMAGE intervention was evaluated using a quasi-experimental design with multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results indicated that students who attended a session were statistically more likely to consume fewer drinks per week, drink fewer times per month, and experience fewer negative consequences than those who did not.

The goal of the program’s enhancement is to affect drinking behavior among student athletes and students living in residence halls while increasing its focus on students in fraternities and sororities. Specific objectives focus on decreasing frequency and quantity of alcohol use as well as alcohol-related negative consequences while increasing the use of self-protective behaviors.