Author: Lindsay RechtmanPublisher:
ISBN:
Category : Alcoholism
Languages : en
Pages : 123
Book Description
Background: Nearly half of all undergraduate college students are enrolled in community colleges; yet, the majority of college student health-related research is focused on four-year college students. Alcohol use is one such area where community college research is limited. Research has demonstrated that the use of Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS) is associated with decreased alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences. This dissertation examined short-term changes in the use of PBS, as well as changes in alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences as a result of a brief in-class intervention. Methods: Participants were recruited from select courses at a community college. Study participants completed a pen and paper administration of several psychometrically-validated survey instruments that contain items specific to alcohol use, PBS use, and alcohol-related negative consequences. To assess the effects of the intervention, ANCOVA and MANCOVA analyses were conducted. A series of four regression analyses were conducted to test each of three hypothesized mediation models. Results: Two hundred six participants were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned by classroom to an intervention (N = 105) or control (N = 101) group; 179 (87%) participants completed the follow-up survey approximately 3 months later. Analysis of covariance tests did not yield significant differences with respect to overall PBS use, typical number drinks per drinking day, number of heavy drinking days or reported alcohol-related negative consequences between the intervention and control groups at follow-up. The mediation hypotheses were not supported. Conclusions: Participation in the brief intervention did not result in statistically significant changes in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related negative consequences at the time of follow-up. Further in-class brief intervention research needs to be conducted in community colleges to determine the best practices for this setting.