Identification, prevention, and treatment revisited: Individual-focused college drinking prevention strategies 1999–2006
Section snippets
Method
Our earlier review (Larimer & Cronce, 2002) served as the basis for the Task Force recommendations related to individual-focused interventions. As in the prior paper, in the current paper we review the efficacy of individual-focused interventions overall, and their efficacy in high-risk populations. All levels of prevention (universal, indicated, and selective; Institute of Medicine, 1994) are included, as are interventions implemented in a variety of formats (one-on-one, small group,
Prevention and treatment strategies
Interventions are organized into three broad categories: educational/awareness, cognitive/behavioral skills-based, and motivational/feedback-based (see Table 2 for a full list of studies reviewed in Larimer & Cronce, 2002). Within each category, interventions are further grouped into sub-categories based on the nature of their focal component. As many interventions have multiple components, classification is intended to serve as a useful heuristic rather than an absolute categorical model.
Intervening with high-risk sub-populations
Recent research has begun to address the extent to which individual intervention effects are generalizable to different high-risk populations. The evidence in support of interventions described above as applied to specific high-risk populations of students is summarized below.
Identification, referral, and recruitment strategies
In addition to determining the efficacy of preventive efforts, it is important to consider how best to identify students in need of prevention services, encourage access to services, and retain students in services. Early research suggested that students were uninterested in alcohol prevention, and those most in need of such services were least likely to access them (Black & Coster, 1996). More recently, research indicates alcohol use is positively correlated with interest in participating in
Conclusion and summary of research priorities
In the past seven years, considerable new research on individual-focused interventions for college drinking has emerged. Consistent with recommendations of Larimer and Cronce (2002) and the NIAAA Task Force report (NIAAA, 2002), the majority of studies tested modifications of Tier I interventions (Saltz, 2004/2005). Much of the research continues to suffer from methodological limitations, including low response rates, small samples, high attrition, lack of appropriate control conditions, short
Acknowledgement
This manuscript was prepared with the support from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grant #U01 AA014742 awarded to Dr. Mary Larimer.
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