title: Does changing social influence engender changes in alcohol intake? A meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Past research has suggested that social influences on drinking can be manipulated with subsequent reductions in alcohol intake. However, the experimental evidence for this and the best strategies to positively change these social influences have not been meta-analyzed. This research addressed these gaps.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trials testing social influence-based interventions on adults' drinking were systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed. The behavior change techniques used in each study were coded and the effect sizes showing the impact of each intervention on (a) social influence and (b) alcohol intake were calculated. Metaregressions identified the association between these effect sizes, as well as the effect of specific behavior change techniques on social influences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one studies comprising 17,445 participants were included. Changes in social influences were significantly associated with changes in alcohol intake. However, even moderate-to-large changes in social influences corresponded with only a small change in drinking behavior and changing social influences did not reduce alcohol-related problems. Providing normative information about others' behavior and experiences was the most effective technique to change social influences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social influences and normative beliefs can be changed in drinkers, particularly by providing normative information about how much others' drink. However, even generating large changes in these constructs are likely to engender only small changes in alcohol intake. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7489-6415
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prestwich
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kellar
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conner
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lawton
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology.
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Turgut
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D003469:Culture; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012932:Social Facilitation; D066262:Social Norms