Intervention for hazardous alcohol use and high level of stress in university freshmen: A comparison between an intervention and a control University

Abstract

Background The first year of university studies is associated with increased levels of alcohol drinking and stress. This study examines the one-year outcome of both primary and secondary interventions of one alcohol programme and one stress intervention programme at an intervention university in comparison with a control university. Methods At the intervention university all freshmen were offered a primary prevention programme for hazardous alcohol use and stress management and, in addition, those who had high ratings for stress and/or hazardous alcohol use were offered a secondary intervention programme for alcohol consumption and/or stress management. Freshmen still attending the two universities one year later responded to follow-up questionnaires. Results The primary alcohol and stress interventions were associated with lower alcohol expectancies and mental symptoms, but no differences in AUDIT scores (- 0.2, CI 95% - 0.5 to 0.1), estimated blood alcohol concentrations or stress in comparison to freshmen at the control university. The secondary alcohol interventions were associated with decreased AUDIT (– 1.1, CI 95% - 2.0 to – 0.2) as well as alcohol expectancies, blood alcohol concentrations, stress and mental symptoms in comparison to high-risk freshmen at the control university. The secondary stress interventions were associated with decreased mental symptoms and alcohol expectancies, but not stress, AUDIT scores (- 0.6, CI 95% - 1.4 to 0.2) and blood alcohol concentrations in comparison to high-risk freshmen at the control university. Conclusion This study suggests that both primary and secondary alcohol and stress interventions have 1-year effects in university freshmen and could be implemented in university settings.