Lessons learned about online engagement and implementation of an intuitive eating programme for university employees.

Background: Intuitive eating (IE) principles present an evidence-based strategy for improving one's relationship with food while reducing the incidence of weight cycling and health risks associated with chronic dieting and weight regain. Offering online programming provides improved access to education while reducing barriers to programme enrollment but is also associated with high rates of attrition. Aim: To examine the process of programme implementation and identify barriers and facilitators of engagement for an online IE programme for employees at a large Midwestern university. Methods: The web-based programme Finding Peace with Food: An Intuitive Eating Approach consisted of an online community with discussion prompts, 10 weekly modules containing videos, activities, and counsellor interviews and was developed using recognized health behaviour theory and evidence-based practices. Participants were university employees (n = 20). Qualitative data were assessed using a phenomenological approach to discern the themes of barriers and facilitators of programme participation. Participation rates were assessed using descriptive statistics. Results: All participants were Caucasian, 85% were female, and their ages ranged from 26-64. The module-based structure was well received. The primary barriers to participation were time constraints, overwhelming amount of information, and aversion to Flipgrid platform use. The quality and usefulness of the programme information were identified as facilitators of participation. Conclusion: Program participation was influenced by the time frame available to complete the programme modules and participants' ease of use of platform applications.

Differences between preemptive and non-preemptive physical activity among 'drunkorexia'-positive college students.

Objective: 'Drunkorexia' is characterized by compensating for alcohol-related calories using physical activity (PA). Drunkorexia is common on college campuses but little is known about the PA behaviors within the drunkorexia paradigm. Methods: First-year college students living on campus completed an online survey collecting drunkorexia, PA, and alcohol consumption data. A total of 127 participants reported engaging in drunkorexia behaviors. Results: Fifty-three participants were classified as preemptively physically active (e.g., PA and drink on Tuesday) compared to 74 as non-preemptively physically active. Preemptively physically active participants consumed more alcohol on Fridays and Saturdays than those non-preemptively physically active. Preemptively physically active participants engaged in significantly greater amounts PA. Females accounted for all significant differences between groups. Discussion: Among drunkorexia-positive participants, many made preemptive efforts to control their calories before consuming alcohol, which may predispose them to higher incidences of adverse outcomes such as alcohol poisoning, unwanted sexual advances, and death.

Relationship between physical activity intensities and drunkorexia severity among first-year college students.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the relationship between intensities of physical activity and severity of drunkorexia behaviors. Participants: First-year college students living in residence halls (n = 127) completed an online survey comprising drinking, drunkorexia, and physical activity. Methods: Multiple hierarchical linear regressions were implemented to examine if physical activity intensity correlates to drunkorexia severity. Results: Vigorous physical activity was the only physical activity intensity significantly associated with severity of drunkorexia behaviors. Conclusions: First-year college students' duration of vigorous physical activity in relation to severity of drunkorexia behaviors may vary contingently on the motivation for vigorous physical activity. Practitioners need to consider physical activity can be a co-occurring risk behavior in combination with alcohol misuse.

Comparison of Student Self-Reported and Administrative Data Regarding Intercession into Alcohol Misuse among College Freshmen Dormitory Residents.

Intercession into collegiate alcohol misuse by the Department of Resident Live (DRL) in freshmen dormitories at one large, Mid-Atlantic, diverse, public university was examined. Freshmen dormitory resident drinkers (n=357), 71% of whom reported alcohol misuse, were surveyed. Student self-report and DRL documentation, respectively, revealed that 6.4% and 7.8% (Kappa=.77) of drinkers were documented with an alcohol violation, 4.2% and 3.4% (Kappa=.81) lost housing priority points, 1.4% and .6% (Kappa=.28) were referred for alcohol counseling, and 1.4% and .3% (Kappa = .33) were taken to the emergency room. DRL infrequently interceded into alcohol misuse, perhaps because most misuse occurred off-campus.

Dimensionality and psychometric analysis of an alcohol protective behavioral strategies scale.

OBJECTIVE: The current study examined the dimensionality of a protective behavioral strategies (PBS) measure among undergraduate, predominantly freshmen (92.5%) college students reporting recent alcohol use (n = 320). METHOD: Participants completed a web-based survey assessing 22 PBS items. Factor analyses determined the underlying factor structure of the items. Congruence of the factor structure among gender and racial sub-groups was examined by rotating the sub-groups' matrices via the Procrustes rotation method. Reliability analyses determined internal consistency. RESULTS: A 2-factor solution was retained utilizing 17 of the original items. Both PBS sub-scales (Limits and Avoidance) had acceptable internal consistency across all samples. CONCLUSIONS: This PBS Scale was determined to be bi-dimensional and reliable. The dimensions suggest two underlying foci: ways to limit alcohol intake and ways to avoid alcohol intake while socializing. Practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Drinking motivations and experiences of unwanted sexual advances among undergraduate students.

This study examined the relationship between drinking motivations and college students' experiences with unwanted sexual advances. Undergraduates, from a public university in the mid-Atlantic region, who reported recent (30 day) alcohol use ( n = 289) completed an online survey midway through the spring 2007 academic semester. Experiencing an unwanted sexual advance was the outcome of interest for the present study. The independent variables included sociodemographics and a three-factor (social ease, social image or reputation, emotional distress) drinking motivation measure. Prevalence estimates as well as unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) were produced. A strong relationship was found between having an unwanted sexual advance and recent binge drinking as well as drinking to remove emotional distress (OR = 3.40 and 2.73, respectively, for the total sample; OR = 7.27 and 2.82 for females). Findings suggest that experiencing an unwanted sexual advance is associated with specific drinking motivations and more likely to occur among females. Further research is needed to fully understand pathways and implications.

DRINKING TO GET DRUNK AMONG INCOMING FRESHMEN COLLEGE STUDENTS.

This study examined college freshmen who intentionally drink alcohol to get drunk (DTGD). Survey data from 307 incoming freshmen college students living in freshmen residence halls who reported drinking alcohol in the last 30 days were analyzed. The majority (76.9%) of these self-reported drinkers reported DTGD. Relative to other freshmen drinkers, those who reported DTGD were significantly more likely to have consumed alcohol before going out to a party or bar, participated in a drinking game, drank heavily on a non-school night but not on a school night, used liquor, used beer, combined alcohol and drugs, experienced a hangover, vomited, passed out, and/or blacked out. The associations support DTGD as a measure of pre-meditated, controlled, and intentional consumption of alcohol to reach a state of inebriation. Common intentional drunkenness as observed in this study population may have implications for college alcohol risk reduction programs.

Clinical approaches to improving alcohol education and counseling in adolescents and young adults.

Clinical prevention trials (approaches to educating and counseling) of adolescents (teens and young adults aged 12 to 25) about risks related to alcohol use indicate that reduction in adolescent alcohol use is possible with nonphysicians as interventionists and physicians as interventionists supported by patient counseling guides and resources. Opportunities for personalized, interactive adolescent education with goal setting appears key to intervention success. Physicians might also be more effective if they are aware of emerging alcohol problems among youth, systems-level resources for counseling adolescents about prevention, and appropriate guidance for parents. Recommendations and resources for clinicians working with adolescents regarding alcohol misuse are provided.

Perceptions about residence hall wingmates and alcohol-related secondhand effects among college freshmen.

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined the secondhand effects among college freshmen of others' alcohol use and related student characteristics, and perceptions about residence hallmates. PARTICIPANTS: The authors surveyed 509 incoming freshmen residing in predominantly freshman residence halls. METHODS: The authors administered a Web-based survey 2 months into the 2006 fall academic semester. RESULTS: Most (80%) students experienced at least 1 secondhand effect. Participants' perceptions of wingmates' acceptance and expectation of alcohol use and participants' perceived inability to protect themselves against alcohol problems were related to experiencing secondhand effects, as were being a female and a drinker. CONCLUSIONS: Incoming college freshmen frequently experienced secondhand effects of alcohol use. Involving residence halls in norms-based interventions aimed at reducing secondhand effects warrants evaluation. Further research is also needed to examine skill building among college students to avoid and intervene into others' drinking and to examine resident advisor roles as both engenderers of trust and cooperation as well as enforcers of alcohol rules.

Impact of the "peers as family" dormitory wing-based intervention on college student alcohol use and its secondhand effects.

An intervention to reduce college alcohol use and secondhand effects was tested. Freshmen dormitory wings at a large Mid-Atlantic public university were assigned to single-gender (SG) or mixed-gender (MG) Information-Motivation-Behavior (IMB) workshops implemented during the first weeks of school, or a control condition. Students were surveyed before school began and at 2- and 6-month follow-up. Analyses indicated that, among males, the adjusted mean weekly alcohol use was lower in the SG than the control condition (1.89 vs. 2.72, p = .041). Among females, the adjusted mean weekly alcohol use was lower in the MG than the SG (1.60 vs. 2.44, p = .021) and control condition (1.60 vs. 2.27, p = .056). Further research should identify underlying mechanisms for effective alcohol behavior change among male and female wing-mates.