Personalized mailed feedback for college drinking prevention: a randomized clinical trial.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Addiction Research

Background:

• College drinking poses significant public health risks.
• Universal prevention strategies are needed to address widespread alcohol misuse among students.
• Previous interventions have shown varied success in reducing college drinking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a mailed feedback and tips intervention.
• To assess the intervention's impact on overall drinking rates, abstinence, and heavy episodic drinking.
• To explore potential moderators and mediators of intervention effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial with 1,488 college student participants.
• Assignment to either a mailed feedback intervention group or an assessment-only control group.
• Follow-up assessments to measure alcohol consumption, abstinence, and protective behaviors.

Main Results:

• The mailed feedback intervention significantly reduced overall alcohol consumption compared to controls.
• Participants receiving feedback were more likely to remain abstinent and avoid heavy episodic drinking.
• Protective behaviors, such as setting limits, mediated the intervention's positive effects.

Conclusions:

• A mailed feedback and tips intervention is an effective universal strategy for preventing college drinking.
• The intervention promotes abstinence and reduces risky drinking behaviors.
• Future prevention efforts can leverage mailed interventions and focus on promoting protective behaviors.