Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
10:26
Problem-Solving Before Instruction (PS-I): A Protocol for Assessment and Intervention in Students with Different Abilities
Published on: September 11, 2021
Do brief personalized feedback interventions work for mandated students or is it just getting caught that works?
Helene Raskin White1, Eun Young Mun, Thomas J Morgan
1Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8001, USA. hewhite@rci.rutgers.edu
Summary
Mandated college students reduced drinking after infractions, regardless of immediate feedback. The study suggests disciplinary actions, not personalized feedback interventions, initially drive these changes in substance use.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Higher Education
Background:
- College students mandated to interventions often show reduced drinking.
- The role of disciplinary actions versus intervention efficacy in these changes is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if a brief personalized feedback intervention (PFI) enhances changes in substance use among mandated college students.
- To differentiate the impact of the intervention from the effects of the infraction and reprimand.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial with 230 college students referred for substance use infractions.
- Immediate feedback group received PFI at baseline and 2-month follow-up.
- Delayed feedback group received PFI only after the 2-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- Both groups showed significant reductions in drinking and alcohol-related problems from baseline to 7-month follow-up.
- No significant differences in outcomes were observed between the immediate and delayed feedback groups at either follow-up point.
- Reductions in substance use appear primarily linked to the infraction and reprimand.
Conclusions:
- Disciplinary actions are key drivers of initial behavior change in mandated students.
- Written personalized feedback interventions do not appear to enhance short-term reductions in drinking for this population.
- Longer-term effects of personalized feedback interventions warrant further investigation.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Behavior Modification
Behavioral approaches have often been criticized for ignoring mental processes and focusing solely on observable behavior. However, these approaches provide an optimistic perspective for individuals seeking to change their behaviors. Rather than concentrating on intrinsic personality traits, behavioral approaches suggest that even longstanding habits can be modified by changing the reward contingencies that maintain them.
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
01:24Operant Conditioning Intervention
Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
01:19Role of Shaping in Operant Conditioning
Shaping is a technique used in operant conditioning to train complex behaviors by rewarding successive approximations toward the target behavior. This method is necessary because organisms are unlikely to perform complex behaviors spontaneously. Instead, shaping breaks down the desired behavior into small, manageable steps.
The steps involved in shaping begin with reinforcing any response that resembles the desired behavior. For example, parents might praise a child for picking up one toy. As...
The steps involved in shaping begin with reinforcing any response that resembles the desired behavior. For example, parents might praise a child for picking up one toy. As...
01:26Modeling in Therapy
Modeling, a key technique in therapy, uses observational learning to help clients acquire and practice new skills by watching therapists demonstrate desired behaviors. This approach, rooted in Albert Bandura's concept of vicarious learning, plays a significant role in therapeutic interventions for various psychological conditions, including social anxiety, ADHD, and depression.
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...
01:30Community Based Intervention
Community-based interventions in mental health represent a paradigm shift from institution-centered care to treatments embedded within the fabric of local communities. By prioritizing inclusion and leveraging existing societal structures, this approach fosters a supportive environment conducive to addressing mental health challenges while promoting individual dignity and agency.
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
01:21Operant Conditioning
Operant conditioning, a key concept in behavioral psychology, involves using reinforcement and punishment to alter the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. B.F. introduced this type of conditioning. Skinner focused on voluntary behaviors and the consequences that follow them, influencing whether these behaviors will be strengthened or diminished.
Reinforcement in operant conditioning can be positive or negative, both of which serve to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Positive...
Reinforcement in operant conditioning can be positive or negative, both of which serve to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Positive...