ABSTRACT
Public health researchers and practitioners reporting findings from intervention studies seldom report in depth the processes of intervention development. However, such information would be useful for several reasons: (a) it would help guide the development of new interventions and refinement or revision of existing ones, (b) it would provide a framework and methodology on which other health practitioners and researchers could build, and (c) it would increase transparency of the development process and enhance the interpretation of the intervention's effects. The purpose of this article is to begin addressing the "black box" of Web-based intervention development by presenting the method for developing a Web-based, brief, motivational alcohol intervention program that has shown evidence of efficacy for college students, called Michigan Prevention & Alcohol Safety for Students.
Subject(s)
Alcoholic Intoxication/prevention & control , Alcoholic Intoxication/rehabilitation , Health Behavior , Health Promotion/organization & administration , Internet , Humans , Motivation , Organizational Case Studies , Students , UniversitiesABSTRACT
This study presents the results of an efficacy evaluation of a web-based brief motivational alcohol prevention/intervention program called Michigan Prevention and Alcohol Safety for Students (M-PASS). Four on-line sessions providing individually-tailored feedback were delivered to first-year college students over 9 weeks. Non- and low-risk drinking participants received risk prevention, while high-risk drinking participants received a risk-reduction intervention. Both intervention and control groups were surveyed at baseline and at a 3-month follow-up. Analysis showed positive effects for both men and women on stage of change, drinking behavior, drinking motivation and attitudes, and use of risk-reduction strategies. These results provided evidence of efficacy and found that M-PASS had both intervention and prevention effects, making it unique among currently developed brief alcohol interventions for college students.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/prevention & control , Alcoholic Intoxication/prevention & control , Risk Reduction Behavior , Students/psychology , Adolescent , Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects , Alcoholic Intoxication/complications , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Internet , Male , Michigan , Motivation , Risk-Taking , Self Efficacy , Universities , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Reduce college student at-risk drinking (ARD) using a Web-based brief motivational alcohol prevention/intervention called Michigan Prevention and Alcohol Safety for Students (M-PASS). PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 1,137 randomly sampled first-year college students, including 59% female, 80% white, and averaged age 18.1 years. METHODS: Intervention group participants (n = 616) attended 4 online M-PASS sessions, receiving feedback tailored to individual drinking patterns and concepts from 4 behavior change theories. Control group participants (n = 521) completed a mid-phase survey, and both groups were surveyed at baseline and posttest. RESULTS: Evidence of M-PASS's efficacy was found. The intervention was associated with advanced stage of change, lower tolerance of drinking and drink/driving, fewer reasons to drink, and use of more strategies to avoid ARD. Preliminary evidence of behavioral change was also found. Efficacy was greater for women than men. CONCLUSIONS: Web-based programs may be useful in reducing alcohol-related risk among college students. Further evaluation is needed.
