Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 17, 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
4.5K
Reducing substance involvement in college students: a three-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial of a
Adriana de Oliveira Christoff1, Roseli Boerngen-Lacerda1
1Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Jardim das Américas, Curitiba, Paraná 81531-990, Brazil.
Addictive Behaviors
|February 14, 2015
Summary
Computerized interventions effectively reduced alcohol use in college students. While all methods showed some benefit, the computerized motivational intervention (ASSIST/MBIc) proved a promising, accessible alternative to traditional interviews for substance use reduction.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Psychology
- Digital Health
Background:
- High prevalence of alcohol and drug use among college students necessitates effective interventions.
- Computer and web-based interventions offer scalable solutions for delivering behaviorally based information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of a computerized screening and motivational intervention (ASSIST/MBIc) against a non-computerized version (ASSIST/MBIi) and a control group in reducing substance use among college students in Brazil.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 458 college students at moderate to high risk for substance use, assessed at baseline and 3 months.
- Interventions included: computerized screening and motivational intervention (ASSIST/MBIc), non-computerized screening and motivational intervention (ASSIST/MBIi), and screening only (control).
Main Results:
- All groups showed decreased ASSIST involvement scores, indicating any intervention is better than none.
- The ASSIST/MBIc group demonstrated a significant positive outcome for alcohol use reduction compared to the control.
- Improvements were noted for tobacco and marijuana use, though moderate risk levels persisted for tobacco.
Conclusions:
- The computerized screening and motivational intervention (ASSIST/MBIc) is an effective and accessible alternative to in-person interviews for college student substance use.
- Computer-based interventions leverage student familiarity with technology for tailored content delivery without direct counselor involvement.
Keywords:
Brief interventionsCollege studentsComputer-based interventionsRandomized controlled trialSubstance abuse
