Web-Based Alcohol Intervention in First-Year College Students: Efficacy of Full-Program Administration Prior to...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Higher Education
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Web-based alcohol interventions are increasingly used for college students.
• Few commercially available programs have undergone rigorous empirical evaluation.
• First-year college students are a key demographic for alcohol use prevention efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of the personalized web-based intervention Alcohol-Wise.
• To evaluate its impact on alcohol consumption, consequences, expectancies, academic achievement, and college adaptation.
• To determine the optimal timing for intervention delivery.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted with first-year college students.
• Participants received Alcohol-Wise either before the first or second semester.
• Longitudinal follow-up surveys were administered at 10 and 24 weeks.

Main Results:

• Alcohol-Wise improved academic achievement at the 24-week follow-up when delivered in the first semester.
• The intervention reduced the rise in heavy episodic drinking when administered before the second semester.
• Positive effects on alcohol consumption and adaptation were observed.

Conclusions:

• Web-based alcohol interventions like Alcohol-Wise can be effective for first-year college students.
• Administering the intervention before both the first and second semesters may maximize its benefits.
• Timing is a critical factor in the efficacy of digital health interventions for college students.