Brief Alcohol Screening And Intervention For College Students Research Articles

Feasibility and Acceptability of the Social Media-Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students Intervention

PurposeCommunity college (CC) students represent an at-risk population for alcohol use with limited access to campus interventions. The Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) is available online, though identifying CC students at risk and connecting them to interventions remains challenging. This study tested a novel approach using social media to identify at-risk students and prompt delivery of BASICS. MethodsThis randomized controlled trial examined the feasibility and acceptability of Social Media-BASICS. Participants were recruited from five CCs. Baseline procedures included a survey and social media friending. Social media profiles were evaluated using content analysis monthly for nine months. Intervention prompts included displayed alcohol references indicating escalation of or problematic alcohol use. Participants who displayed such content were randomized into the BASICS intervention or an active control. Measures and analyses assessed feasibility and acceptability. ResultsA total of 172 CC students completed the baseline survey, mean age was 22.9 (standard deviation = 3.18) years. Most were female (81%), with many (67%) identifying as White. Among participants, 120 (70%) displayed alcohol references on social media, prompting intervention enrollment. Of randomized participants, 94 (93%) completed the preintervention survey within 28 days of the invitation. The majority of participants reported positive intervention acceptability. DiscussionThis intervention combined two validated approaches: identification of problem alcohol use displays on social media, and provision of the Web-BASICS intervention. Findings demonstrate the feasibility for novel web-based interventions to reach CC populations.

Thirty years of BASICS: Dissemination and implementation progress and challenges.

The first clinical trial of the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) was launched at the University of Washington in 1990. Since that time, multiple trials have demonstrated the efficacy of BASICS and related approaches in a variety of young adult populations and this information has been widely disseminated. However, in practice BASICS implementation varies considerably, including formats and mediums (e.g., group, telehealth, written/electronic feedback alone) not studied in the original research. Even if delivered in an individual in-person format, implementation can stray substantially from the original design. Adaptations may be necessary to address campus resource constraints or other barriers to implementation but can have unknown impacts on intervention effectiveness. Thus, despite wide-scale efforts to disseminate and implement BASICS, challenges remain, and there are several critical research gaps that need to be addressed to support campuses in implementing BASICS successfully. The current manuscript reviews several ways in which BASICS has been adapted to address these challenges, and provides recommendations for best implementation practices as well as future research needed to improve implementation and effectiveness of BASICS going forward. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Pilot of a telehealth brief alcohol intervention for college students at a Hispanic Serving Institution

ObjectiveWhile college can be a period of exploration, it is also marked by risky alcohol use. Brief alcohol screening and intervention for college students (BASICS) has yet to be used in the telehealth platform among minority students. This study assesses the short-term outcomes of a pilot telehealth brief alcohol abuse intervention for students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Participants: One hundred and fifty-two students attending a large public university participated. MethodsStudents participated in a BASICS-adapted telehealth brief intervention with a certified alcohol counselor. Baseline and 30-day follow-up surveys were completed electronically. ResultsThere were significant changes in drinking behaviors at 30-day follow-up after participating in the telehealth pilot among high-risk drinkers. ConclusionTelehealth interventions are accessible and convenient for students at a HSI, and brief alcohol interventions adapted from BASICS utilizing telehealth can significantly impact alcohol use behaviors.

A comparison between telehealth and face-to-face delivery of a brief alcohol intervention for college students

Background Problematic alcohol use is a common occurrence among college students. While empirically supported interventions exist, their access is typically limited to those with greater resources. There has been an expansion of services provided via telehealth to increase client access to treatment in the health care field. However, the evidence is mixed regarding the effectiveness of face-to-face versus telehealth interventions and there is a gap in the literature regarding brief alcohol interventions delivered via telehealth. As such, the purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a well-validated brief alcohol screening and intervention for college students (BASICS) when conducted face-to-face or through a videoconferencing system. Method: Participants included 51 college students who engaged in heavy episodic drinking (5+ drinks for males and 4+ drinks for females over a two hour period) over the last two weeks. They were randomly assigned to receive the face-to-face or telehealth intervention and completed a variety of questionnaires throughout. Follow up data on the participant’s alcohol use and alcohol-related problems was collected at 1-, 2-, and 3-months. Multilevel modeling in SAS was utilized for analyses, which included the modeling of treatment outcome trajectories and the influence of predictors on the trajectory of change for each outcome. Results: Results indicated that the intervention significantly reduced alcohol consumption and related problems regardless of condition. Both conditions saw an increase in treatment satisfaction and therapeutic alliance between the two sessions. Increased therapeutic alliance resulted in greater decreases in alcohol use and related harm across both conditions. Additionally, those with a mental health diagnosis showed greater improvement related to risk reduction for both treatment modalities. Conclusion: In sum, the results of this study suggest that telehealth services should be further implemented and the BASICS intervention can be effectively delivered via telehealth for college students.

The Utility of a Brief Web-Based Prevention Intervention as a Universal Approach for Risky Alcohol Use in College Students: Evidence of Moderation by Family History.

Background: Alcohol use on college campuses is prevalent and contributes to problems that affect the health, emotional wellbeing, and academic success of college students. Risk factors, such as family history of alcohol problems, predict future alcohol problems, but less is known about their potential impact on intervention effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an intervention implemented in a non-randomized sample of drinking and non-drinking college freshmen.Methods: Freshmen college students recruited for the intervention study (n = 153) completed a web-adaptation of the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) at the start of spring semester. We compared their 30-days post-intervention alcohol initiation, number of drinking days (DAYS), drinks per occasion (DRINKS), maximum drinks in 24 h (MAX24) and alcohol use disorder symptoms (AUDsx) to 151 comparison participants retrospectively matched on demographics and baseline alcohol use behaviors. We also tested baseline DRINKS, DAYS, AUDsx, MAX24, and parental family history (PFH) of alcohol problems as moderators of the effect of the intervention.Results: At follow-up, intervention participants had lower rates of AUDsx than comparison participants, especially among baseline drinkers. Among participants drinking 3+ days/month at baseline, intervention participants showed fewer DAYS at follow-up than the comparison group participants. BASICS was also associated with a decreased likelihood of initiation among baseline non-drinkers. PFH significantly interacted with treatment group, with positive PFH intervention participants reporting significantly fewer AUDsx at follow-up compared to positive PFH comparison participants. We found no evidence for an effect of the intervention on DRINKS or MAX24 in our analyses.Conclusions: Results suggest some indication that novel groups, such as non-drinkers, regular drinkers, and PFH positive students may experience benefits from BASICS. Although conclusions were limited by lack of randomization and short follow-up period, PFH positive and low to moderate drinking groups represent viable targets for future randomized studies.

E

E

Effectiveness of an Electronic Booster Session Delivered to Mandated Students.

College student drinking continues to be a problem in the United States. Students who have violated campus alcohol policy are at particularly high risk for dangerous drinking. While Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) has been found to be an effective strategy in reducing high-risk drinking and associated consequences, questions remain about ways to further reduce risk or sustain changes associated with a face-to face intervention. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a computer-delivered personalized feedback (electronic booster) delivered to policy violators who completed a mandated BASICS program. At 3-month post-intervention, 346 participants (60.4% male and 39.6% female) were randomized to one of two conditions: assessment only (n = 171) or electronic booster feedback (n = 175). Follow-up assessments were given to all participants at 3, 6, and 12-month post-initial intervention. Both groups showed reductions in drinking after the in-person BASICS intervention, but no additional reductions were seen with the addition of an electronic booster session. Findings suggest that although brief motivational interventions delivered in person to mandated students have been shown to be effective with mandated students, there is no additional benefit from an electronic booster session delivered 3-month post-intervention for this population.

BASICS, ACT, mindfulness, and BMI: Effective evidence-based practices that treat collegiate high-risk drinking

ABSTRACTThis literature review focuses on the use of Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness, and Brief Motivational Interventions (BMI) during individual evidence-based therapeutic interventions with college students engaging in high-risk drinking. A review of family history, drinking motives, and the collegiate environment is also examined for empirical and theoretical etiology of college student alcohol abuse.

Randomized controlled trial of brief alcohol screening and intervention for college students for heavy-drinking mandated and volunteer undergraduates: 12-month outcomes.

This is the first randomized trial testing whether heavy-drinking undergraduates mandated to the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) program following a campus alcohol violation would benefit as much as heavy-drinking volunteers up to 1 year postintervention using control groups with high-risk drinkers to model disciplinary-related and naturalistic changes in drinking. Participants (61% male; 51% mandated; 84% Caucasian; M age = 20.14 years) were screened for heavy drinking and randomized to BASICS (n = 115) or assessment-only control (n = 110). Outcome measures (drinking, alcohol problems) were collected at baseline, 4 weeks, 3, 6, and 12 months postintervention. At 4 weeks postintervention, intent-to-treat multilevel longitudinal models showed that regardless of referral group (mandated or volunteer), BASICS significantly decreased weekly drinking, typical drinks, and peak drinks relative to controls (ds = .41-.92). BASICS had a large effect on decreases in alcohol problems (d = .87). At 12 months postintervention, BASICS participants (regardless of referral group) reported significantly fewer alcohol problems (d = .56) compared with controls. Significant long-term intervention gains for peak and typical drinks were sustained in both referral groups relative to controls (ds = .42; .11). Referral group had no significant main effect and did not interact with intervention condition to predict outcomes. Given that BASICS was associated with less drinking and fewer alcohol problems (even among heavier drinking mandated students up to 1 year postintervention), provision of BASICS-style programs within disciplinary settings may help reduce heavy and problematic drinking among at-risk students. (PsycINFO Database Record

Alcohol Interventions for Mandated Students: Behavioral Outcomes From a Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

This study investigated the effectiveness of three single-session interventions with high-risk mandated students while considering the influence of motivational interviewing (MI) microskills. This randomized, controlled pilot trial evaluated single-session interventions: Alcohol Skills Training Program (ASTP), Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) feedback sessions, and treatment-as-usual Alcohol Diversion Program (ADP) educational groups. Participants were 61 full-time undergraduates at a southern U.S. campus sanctioned to a clinical program following violation of an on-campus alcohol policy (Mage = 19.16 years; 42.6% female). RESULTS revealed a significant effect of time for reductions in estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC) and number of weekly drinks but not in alcohol-related consequences. Although ASTP and BASICS participants reported significant decreases in eBAC over time, ADP participant levels did not change (with no intervention effects on quantity or consequences). MI microskills were not related to outcomes. RESULTS from this study suggest equivalent behavioral impacts for the MI-based interventions, although individual differences in outcome trajectories suggest that research is needed to further customize mandated interventions. Given the overall decrease in eBAC following the sanction, the lack of reduction in the ADP condition warrants caution when using education-only interventions.

Student perceptions of specific components within a personalized feedback intervention.

Previous research suggests that personalized feedback interventions (PFI) can be an effective tool in reducing risky alcohol use among college students; however, little is known about how students perceive the individual components that are typically used during PFIs. In the current study, participants (N = 219, 63.5% female, 84% Caucasian, undergraduates enrolled in introductory psychology courses) reported their drinking behavior in the past month, and then immediately received a computerized PFI based on their self-reported alcohol use. The PFI was modeled from the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) approach and included 10 separate feedback components presented in random order. Participants provided acceptability ratings on each of the 10 components. Overall, participants found the PFI generally acceptable, with females rating the PFI as more acceptable than males, and binge drinkers (defined as 5 or more drinks on an occasion for males and 4 or more drinks for females) rating the PFI more acceptable than nonbinge drinkers. Differences in acceptability emerged across the 10 components, as participants rated the practical cost components (e.g., money spent on alcohol, calories consumed) as more acceptable than didactic information (e.g., impact of blood alcohol levels) and personal negative consequences. The results are similar to a previous study that examines student reactions to PFIs (Miller & Leffingwell, 2013). Overall, the findings suggest that college students prefer certain feedback components to others. Moreover, the findings indicate that future research is needed to examine the relationship between preferred components and treatment outcomes to determine which components are most effective for reducing risky drinking.

A randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of two active conditions of a brief intervention for heavy college drinkers

Brief interventions for college heavy drinkers have shown promise in reducing drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences. However, intervention duration, content, method of delivery, and follow-up length vary across studies. It therefore remains unclear whether intervention length significantly influences the interventions' efficacy. The present study is a randomized clinical trial systematically evaluating the efficacy of two brief interventions aimed at reducing alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences among college student drinkers. Treatment mediators were also evaluated. Participants (N=278) were, on average, 20.1years old (SD=2.4), mostly Caucasian (87%) and female (71%). They were randomly assigned to a 10-minute brief intervention, a 50-minute brief intervention, or an attention-control group. Both active interventions were provided by clinical graduate students trained in Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS). As hypothesized, participants in both active conditions significantly reduced their alcohol consumption, as compared to the control group participants F(2,264)=9.84, p=.00, η2=.07. There were no significant differences in alcohol-related negative consequences F(2,264)=3.08, p=.06, η2=.02. The hypothesized mediators, alcohol drinking norms and coping behavioral strategies, explained significant variance in intervention efficacy, but neither self-efficacy nor alcohol expectancies were significant mediators. Given the preliminary nature of our investigation, more research is warranted to determine parameters of the critical mechanisms of change within brief alcohol interventions with college student drinkers.

Brief motivational intervention for college drinking: The synergistic impact of social anxiety and perceived drinking norms.

Despite the efficacy of Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS), students with higher social anxiety appear vulnerable to poorer outcomes. A possible explanation for these outcomes is that corrective normative feedback (an active component of BASICS) may be less effective for socially anxious students if their beliefs about others' drinking are less malleable because of intense fear of negative evaluation for deviating from perceived drinking norms. This study evaluated whether socially anxious students demonstrated less change in perceived norms during BASICS. We also examined whether change in norm endorsement moderated the relation between social anxiety and BASICS outcomes. Undergraduates (n = 52) who underwent BASICS completed measures of drinking, social anxiety, and perceived norms at baseline and 4 weeks post-BASICS. Higher social anxiety was related to less change in norm endorsement after receiving BASICS. Change in perceived norms during treatment moderated the relation between social anxiety and follow-up drinking. Among students with smaller change in norm endorsement after BASICS, higher social anxiety was related to heavier follow-up drinking. Among students with greater changes to norm endorsement during BASICS, the effect of social anxiety was nonsignificant. Results suggest that corrective perceived norms interventions may be less effective among socially anxious students, contributing to continued heavy drinking. Development of social anxiety-specific BASICS components warrants attention.

An Evaluation of the BASICS Alcohol Risk Reduction Model Among Predominantly Hispanic College Students

Although Hispanic college students consume alcohol in equal proportion to other ethnic groups, studies have not examined whether established alcohol-risk-reduction approaches are effective in this population. Accordingly, this study examined effectiveness of the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) risk-reduction model for reducing alcohol consumption and related problems in two samples of predominantly Hispanic college students (N = 206 and 405). The study also examined whether factors such as gender, baseline risk level, and readiness to change moderated program impact. Students first participated in an in-depth assessment of drinking patterns followed by relatively brief intervention including psychoeducation and personalized normative feedback. Behavioral outcomes were assessed six months after the intervention and included alcohol-risk scores, alcohol consumption-related problems, consumption, drinking and driving frequency, and stage of change. Supporting the effectiveness of BASICS, both samples showed significant improvement across all these outcomes. Moderator analyses suggested greater program impact among heavier drinkers and among high in change contemplation at assessment. Overall, the results strongly support use of the BASICS intervention model among Hispanic students. The study's limitations are noted.

Baseline Characteristics of College Freshmen Enrolled in an Alcohol Intervention Program

This study is a baseline analysis of the demographic and behavioral characteristics of freshmen students recruited to enter a longitudinal multi-component intervention program based on the Brief Alcohol Screening, and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) program. The aim of the study was to determine the associations among the participants' gender, ethnicity, age, drinking, psychological problems, sexual contacts, and illegal substance use. Freshmen participants (n = 186) were between the ages of 18 and 20 with a mean age of 18.51 ± 0.62, and 37.6% of the participants were males. Three surveys were administered at baseline: the Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ; Collins, Parks, & Marlatt, 1985 ); Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI; White & Labouvie, 1989 ), Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA; Office of Management and Budget [OMB], 1993 ), Client Outcome Measures for Discretionary Programs and Best Practices grantees. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the behavioral characteristics. During past 30 days participants on average consumed alcohol on 7.3 ± 5.2 days, used illegal substances 3.0 ± 7.2 days and had 5.3 ± 7.0 sexual contacts and less 2.1 ± 4.6 unprotected sexual contacts (USC). Results of this baseline analysis demonstrate the diversity of the program participant demographic characteristics and behavioral patterns. This study contributes valuable implications for the design of interventions programs to address high-risk behaviors among freshmen college students.

Brief motivational interviewing to reduce alcohol consumption among freshmen: secondary effects on polydrug use

Background & Aims: This study investigated high-risk drinking and polydrug use (PU) over 6 months for freshmen college students. Methods: The Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) brief motivational interviewing (BMI) intervention was implemented at a public university as a 3-year programme designed to reduce underage drinking among freshmen with a secondary focus on PU. Participants were 299 freshmen from a state-supported university. Participants attended baseline visit, 2-week, 3- and 6-month visits. Analysis: Paired t-tests were used to determine the differences between alcohol consumption at different time points. McNemar’s test was used to compare correlated proportions. Results: At the baseline, 30% of the participants were drinking and using illicit drugs, compared with 25% at the sixth month visit. Conclusion: The findings suggest that a decrease in alcohol consumption will also reduce the probability of PU. These findings can assist in developing health professional strategies for effective use of BMI interventions aimed at alcohol and PU.

Outcomes of a Targeted Capacity Expansion (TCE) Brief Motivational Intervention for High-Risk Drinking Freshmen: Pilot Study Comparison at Baseline and 6 Months

This longitudinal pilot study investigated the effectiveness of a Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) Brief Motivational Intervention (BMI) in decreasing the quantity and frequency of high-risk drinking and associated negative consequences for freshmen. The treatment effects of the intervention (n = 110) were obtained using a quasi-experimental design. Alcohol consumption and risk behaviors were assessed for the intervention and the control group. Freshmen students who received the intervention reported a greater decrease in alcohol consumption and negative consequences than freshmen students assigned to the control group. This study supported the effectiveness of the BASICS BMI intervention for freshmen students with high-risk drinking behaviors. This pilot study has implications for the sustainability of the intervention for freshmen students and supports further research for the remaining 2-year intervention program.

The Role of Social Anxiety in a Brief Alcohol Intervention for Heavy-Drinking College Students

The Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) reduces alcohol use and alcohol-related problems among undergraduates, yet variability in outcomes exists. Identifying individual difference variables related to outcomes could inform efforts to improve treatment protocols. The current study evaluated the role of social anxiety during BASICS. High socially anxious (HSA; n = 26) and low socially anxious (LSA; n = 44) heavy-drinking undergraduates were randomly assigned to BASICS (n = 38) or an assessment-only control (n = 32). HSA patients reported higher baseline alcohol consumption (typical drinks, weekly quantity, and frequency). BASICS significantly decreased weekly alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems relative to the control group. Social anxiety moderated outcomes such that in the BASICS condition; HSA patients reported heavier typical drinks at posttest, even after controlling for referral status, baseline typical drinks, and trait anxiety. This was not the case in the control group. HSA patients may benefit from social anxiety-specific interventions during BASICS.

Brief motivational feedback for college students and adolescents: a harm reduction approach

Alcohol consumption and its attendant problems are prevalent among adolescents and young adult college students. Harm reduction has been found efficacious with heavy drinking adolescents and college students. These harm reduction approaches do not demand abstinence and are designed to meet the individual where he or she is in the change process. The authors present a case illustration of a harm reduction intervention, the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS), with a heavy-drinking female college student experiencing significant problems as a result of her drinking. BASICS is conducted in a motivational interviewing style and includes cognitive-behavioral skills training and personalized feedback.

A randomized clinical trial evaluating a combined alcohol intervention for high-risk college students.

The current study is a multisite randomized alcohol prevention trial to evaluate the efficacy of both a parenting handbook intervention and the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) intervention, alone and in combination, in reducing alcohol use and consequences among a high-risk population of matriculating college students (i.e., former high school athletes). Students (n = 1,275) completed a series of Web-administered measures at baseline (in the summer before starting college) and follow-up (after 10 months). Students were randomized to one of four conditions: parent intervention only, BASICS only, combined (parent and BASICS), and assessment-only control. Intervention efficacy was tested on a number of outcome measures, including peak blood alcohol concentration, weekly and weekend drinking, and negative consequences. Hypothesized mediators and moderators of intervention effect were tested. The overall results revealed that the combined-intervention group had significantly lower alcohol consumption, high-risk drinking, and consequences at 10-month follow-up, compared with the control group, with changes in descriptive and injunctive peer norms mediating intervention effects. The findings of the present study suggest that the parent intervention delivered to students before they begin college serves to enhance the efficacy of the BASICS intervention, potentially priming students to respond to the subsequent BASICS session.