MADD victim impact panels and stages-of-change in drunk-driving prevention.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the additional effects of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Victim Impact Panels (VIPs) over the effects of a DWI (driving while intoxicated) school, on (1) moving individuals through the stages-of-change toward not drinking while driving and (2) drunk-driving recidivism.


METHODS
A randomized experiment with 813 (75% male) DWI offenders in New Mexico measured progress through the stages-of-change at pretest, posttest, 1-year follow-up and 2-year follow-up. In addition, drunk-driving recidivism over 2 years was measured from state driving records. Individuals were randomly assigned to a DWI school or a DWI school plus a MADD VIP.


RESULTS
No significant difference in movement through the stages-of-change, or in recidivism, occurred between respondents in the DWI-school-only treatment, and those in the DWI school plus VIP treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no additional effect of the MADD VIP, a relatively emotional intervention, over that of the DWI school, a relatively informational approach, on DWI behavior (whether measured by stages-of-change or by DWI rearrest data) over the 2-year period following the two interventions.
Polacsek
M
M
Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA.
Rogers
E M
EM
Woodall
W G
WG
Delaney
H
H
Wheeler
D
D
Rao
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012922:Social Change