Study Finds Teens Drink More during Summer before College, Reduce Drinking with Brief Motivational Intervention
Each week, the Higher Education Center showcases recent developments in the field of AOD abuse and violence prevention in higher education that may include new data and resources, upcoming events and programs, funding opportunities, and learning opportunities. To see a listing of previous This Week! features, visit the This Week! archive.
September 17, 2010
The study, which began in 2004, recruited 1,000 incoming freshmen, both drinkers and nondrinkers, to receive either a brief motivational intervention (BMI), a parent-based intervention (PBI), or an assessment-only control. The team found the BMI intervention was successful for nondrinkers and drinkers. Students who received the BMI were significantly less likely to transition into heavy drinking or begin experiencing negative consequences as a result of alcohol use. The study is the first to provide support for BMI as a universal preventive intervention for incoming college students. The study analysis also suggests that future refinements could enhance PBI effectiveness.
The full article citation is: Wood, M. D. et al. “Brief Motivational and Parent Interventions for College Students: A Randomized Factorial Study.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology June 2010: 349–361.
More information can be viewed in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.