Final Report for East Carolina University

Overview of Findings During the academic year, 3,442 students completed the College Alc pretest survey, 4,555 completed all four lessons of the College Alc program, and 2,494 completed the posttest survey. The natural progression for drinking behaviors, alcohol ‐ related attitudes, norms, knowledge, and consequences is for these factors to increase or reflect greater risk across time, particularly across the freshman year. Any movements toward lower risk, or lack of movement, are seen as positive indicators of effective prevention efforts. Significant reductions in important targeted mediators (change agents) were seen for social norms and positive alcohol expectancies. Significant gains in negative alcohol expectancies, alcohol-related attitudes, intentions to use harm prevention strategies, harm prevention self-efficacy (confidence to intervene to prevent harm) and alcohol-related knowledge were also observed over the two survey occasions.

Overview of Findings, continued. Students at East Carolina University had very positive impressions of the College Alc experience. Over 92 percent stated they benefited from taking College Alc. Ninety-three percent felt better prepared to respond to alcohol-related consequences such as alcohol poisoning. Over 90 percent said they thought more about how to avoid alcohol-related problems, and 88 percent reported that they were more likely to intervene with a friend who is getting in trouble with alcohol. Due to the short period between pretest and posttest occasions, the primary behavioral item assessed from pretest to posttest was number of drinks per occasion. As compared to pretest, after taking College Alc students were more likely to report no drinking (25% versus 11%), and a greater percentage reported consuming 4 or fewer drinks per occasion (73% versus 60%).

Definitions of Key Strategies (Primary Program Mediators) Social Norms: standards for behavior –our perceptions of how most people, especially people we respect, behave. Alcohol-related Attitudes: positive and negative views of the importance of alcohol and acceptance of heavy drinking Alcohol Expectancies: the effects (positive and negative) people believe are likely to happen when alcohol is consumed. Behavior Tracking: documenting personal alcohol consumption and receiving nonjudgmental feedback relative to others’ use and negative consequences. Commitment: explore values and personal limits related to alcohol use and the prevention of harm among self and others.

Sample Summary Full (pretest) sample: 3,442 students 40% male, 60% female Age: 95% of sample was 18 or 19 years old Ethnic breakdown: –White: 79% (2,634) –American Indian:.6% (21) –Hispanic: 2.5% (82) –Asian/Pacific Islander: 2% (70) –Black: 13% (425) –Other: 2.7% (88)

Social Norms, Attitudes, and Expectancies * Lower is better. p <.001 * Outcomes are scaled differently. Comparisons cannot be made across outcomes. Scale score

Harm Prevention and Knowledge 8-item scale, percent correct, p < item scale (Ex: I am confident in my ability to do the right thing if I suspect that a friend has alcohol poisoning.) p < item scale (Ex: Know and stay within personal drinking limit) p <.001 Scale score

On average, how many drinks do you consume per occasion? Percentage of students reporting Number of drinks per occasion was significantly reduced from a scale score of 3.23 to 3.11 (where 3 = 3-4 drinks per occasion and 4 = 5-6 drinks per occasion), p <.001.

Student Impressions of College Alc 92% stated they benefited from taking College Alc. Since taking College Alc… 93% felt better prepared to respond to an alcohol emergency (e.g., alcohol poisoning) 90% agreed that they thought more about how to avoid alcohol-related problems. 88% were more likely to intervene with a friend who is getting in trouble with alcohol.

For more information contact: Melodie Fearnow-Kenney, PhD Prevention Strategies, LLC (804) David L. Wyrick, PhD UNCG/PreventionStrategies, LLC (336)