ALCOhol use, Norms, Identities and Motivations-based (ALCONIM) prevention program for binge drinking among college...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Addiction Science

Background:

• Binge drinking (BD) is prevalent in college students, driven by psychosocial factors like subjective norms, drinking identity, and social motives.
• Understanding these determinants is crucial for developing effective public health interventions for this demographic.
• Approximately 20% of college students engage in binge drinking, highlighting a significant public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of brief interventions (hypocrisy induction, social identity mapping, motivational modeling) as add-ons to motivational interviewing for preventing binge drinking.
• To compare the effectiveness of these combined interventions against motivational interviewing alone in college students.
• To identify which specific psychosocial determinants of binge drinking are most effectively targeted by these novel interventions.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 240 college students at the University of Caen Normandy, France.
• Participants were assigned to one of four arms: MI with HI, MI with SIM, MI with MM, or MI alone.
• Binge drinking intensity was measured using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) at one-month post-intervention, with follow-ups at six months.

Main Results:

• Primary outcome is the reduction in self-reported binge drinking intensity at one month post-intervention.
• Secondary outcomes include changes in alcohol drinking norms, identity, motives, frequency, and craving.
• Data collection includes pre-intervention, one-month, and six-month follow-up assessments.

Conclusions:

• This study aims to assess the complementary efficacy of hypocrisy induction, social identity mapping, and motivational modeling when combined with motivational interviewing.
• The findings will contribute to an innovative prevention program designed to lower binge drinking in college students by addressing its specific psychosocial determinants.
• The research seeks to provide evidence-based strategies for reducing harmful alcohol consumption patterns in a vulnerable student population.