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Two brief alcohol interventions for mandated college students.

Brian Borsari¹, Kate B Carey

¹Center for Health and Behavior, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA. brian_borsari@brown.edu

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors

|September 29, 2005

Summary

Brief motivational interventions (BMI) effectively reduced alcohol-related problems in college students mandated for substance use programs. This approach shows promise for addressing heavy episodic drinking among students facing alcohol violations.

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Area of Science:

Public Health
Addiction Medicine
Behavioral Science

Background:

Heavy episodic drinking is prevalent among college students.
Brief motivational interventions show potential for reducing alcohol misuse.
Limited research exists on mandated interventions for college students.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the effectiveness of brief motivational interviews (BMI) compared to alcohol education (AE) for college students mandated to a substance use program.
To assess the impact of BMI on alcohol-related problems and drinking behaviors.

Main Methods:

Randomized controlled trial at two university campuses.
Participants (n=64, 83% male) were mandated students.
Interventions included individually administered brief motivational interviews (BMI) or alcohol education (AE).

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Outcomes assessed at 3- and 6-month follow-ups.

Main Results:

Students in the BMI condition reported significantly fewer alcohol-related problems than those in the AE condition at 3- and 6-month assessments.
Both groups showed trends toward reductions in binge drinking episodes and typical blood alcohol levels.
Intervention integrity was confirmed by process measures.

Conclusions:

Mandated brief motivational interviews are effective in reducing alcohol problems among college students referred for alcohol violations.
BMI offers a viable strategy for substance use prevention programs in higher education.
Further research can explore broader implementation and long-term effects.