title: A failed norms social marketing campaign.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this article we test the efficacy of an intensive norms social marketing campaign to reduce heavy drinking among college students living in a residence hall.
  
  
  METHODS
  We employed a pretest-posttest nonequivalent comparison group design. The study was conducted in two (experimental and comparison) comparable residence halls located in a large urban public university. We attempted a census at each hall, and pre- and postintervention data were collected in public areas of each residence hall. Relative sample sizes were approximately 60% in the experimental hall (both waves) and 38% in the comparison hall.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The campaign successfully corrected students' misperceptions of drinking norms but had no effects, or counterintuitive effects, on drinking behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the popularity of this approach, universities would be prudent to proceed with care before adopting this approach wholesale.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182-4119 USA. jdclapp@mail.sdsu.edu
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Clapp
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Cristel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shillington
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Voas
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D040241:Social Marketing; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*