title: Internet-based personalized feedback to reduce 21st-birthday drinking: a randomized controlled trial of an event-specific prevention intervention.
abstract: This article presents an initial randomized controlled trial of an event-specific prevention intervention. Participants included 295 college students (41.69% male, 58.31% female) who intended to consume 2 or more drinks on their 21st birthday. Participants completed a screening/baseline assessment approximately 1 week before they turned 21 and were randomly assigned to receive Web-based personalized feedback or assessment only. Feedback included normative information, protective behaviors, and personalized blood alcohol concentration information. A follow-up assessment was completed approximately 1 week after a student's birthday. Results indicated a significant intervention effect in reducing estimated blood alcohol concentration (d = 0.33). The intervention effect was moderated by 21st-birthday drinking intentions, and the intervention was primarily effective among those who intended to reach higher levels of intoxication. Results provide some support for normative information as a mediator of intervention efficacy. Overall results provide support for Web-based personalized feedback as an intervention approach for specific events associated with extreme drinking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. claytonn@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Clayton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neighbors
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fossos
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walter
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000846:Anniversaries and Special Events; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult