Predictors of short-term change after a brief alcohol intervention for mandated college drinkers

Brief motivational interventions (BMIs) reduce problematic drinking for some, but not all, college students. Identifying those students who are less responsive can help to guide intervention refinement. Therefore, we examined demographic, personality, and cognitive factors hypothesized to influence change after a BMI.

Students mandated for intervention following a campus alcohol violation (N=568; 28% female, 38% freshmen) completed a baseline assessment, then received a BMI, and then completed a 1-month follow-up. At both assessments, alcohol use (i.e., drinks per week, typical BAC, binge frequency) and alcohol-related problems were measured.

Latent change score analyses revealed significant decrease in both alcohol use and problems 1month after the BMI. In the final model that predicted change in alcohol use, four factors (male sex, a "fun seeking" disposition, more perceived costs and fewer perceived benefits of change) predicted smaller decreases in alcohol use over time. In the final model that predicted change in alcohol-related problems, three factors (stronger beliefs about the centrality of alcohol to college life, more perceived costs and fewer perceived benefits of change) predicted smaller decreases in problems over time.

Participation in a BMI reduced alcohol use and problems among mandated college students at 1-month follow-up. We identified predictors of these outcomes, which suggest the need to tailor the BMI to improve its efficacy among males and those students expressing motives (pro and cons, and fun seeking) and beliefs about the centrality of drinking in college.