The efficacy of a targeted personalized drinking feedback intervention among intercollegiate athletes: a randomized controlled trial.
College athletes are an at-risk population for excessive alcohol use and subsequent alcohol-related harms. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of an electronically delivered personalized drinking feedback (PDF) intervention targeted specifically to college athletes, both in comparison with a standard (i.e., nontargeted) PDF intervention and an education-only (EO) condition that also included targeted information. Data were collected on 263 intercollegiate athletes from three colleges (76% women, 86% White) who were randomly assigned to one of the conditions. Results provided partial support for the efficacy of the targeted PDF intervention. Students in the targeted PDF condition reported a lower peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at the 6-month follow-up than those in the other conditions. Heavy drinking students in the targeted PDF condition reported a lower peak BAC than those in the other conditions at the 1-month follow-up and a lower peak BAC than those in the EO condition at the 6-month follow-up. Finally, in-season athletes in the targeted PDF condition reported fewer drinks per week than those in the PDF-standard condition at the 1-month follow-up. These findings provide preliminary support for the use of targeted PDF interventions with at-risk alcohol users, such as college athletes.
Martens
Matthew P
MP
Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. martensmp@missouri.edu
Kilmer
Jason R
JR
Beck
Niels C
NC
Zamboanga
Byron L
BL
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D056352:Athletes / Q000523:psychology*; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult