College drinkers rarely see themselves as having problems with alcohol, few meet dependence criteria, and most "mature out" of problem drinking after college, or sooner. However, "normal" levels of college drinking are clearly associated with unsafe sexual activity, drinking and driving, academic difficulties, accidents, criminal behavior and violence. Given student attitudes about drinking despite the problems associated with it, intervention approaches that seek to minimize the negative consequences of drinking, i.e. "risk" and "harm" reduction, may be more useful than efforts that focus narrowly on abstinence or reducing drinking levels. This presentation discusses initial evaluation of a counseling-oriented instrument developed by the author, the Interest in Changing Drinking Behavior Questionnaire, piloted within a university-based early intervention program for students with drinking problems. The instrument assesses: 1) Students’ views of their drinking-related risks ("could happen" events) and harms ("have happened" events); and 2) Student’s expressed interest in changing aspects of drinking in light of identified risks and harms (e.g. drinking days and amounts, drinking companions, drinking locations or circumstances). Initial analysis of this instrument indicates that students’ interest in change is modestly correlated with identified risks and harms, but "motivation" to make changes is more likely to be associated with events that involve external pressure or sanction, versus "internal" readiness to change. Of further interest, program counselors found the tool to be useful in facilitating student insight and decisions to change by focusing on behaviors that are more realistic and relevant to their social context and personal goals.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe an early intervention strategy related to college drinking problems. 2. Discuss the relationship between "readiness to change" and identified risks and harms among college drinkers. 3. Utilize a counseling instrument with college drinkers that targets risk and harm reduction
Keywords: Alcohol Problems, College Students
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.