Mandated Students Research Articles

Do hypothetical evaluations of alcohol related consequences change over time? Examining the influence of past and ongoing consequences

ObjectiveDespite experiencing alcohol-related consequences, college students continue to drink at high rates. Hypothetical evaluations of alcohol-related consequences (i.e., evaluations of where potential/hypothetical consequences lie on a spectrum from extremely positive to extremely negative) may contribute to the maintenance of drinking patterns among students. The purpose of the present study was to describe hypothetical evaluations in a sample of students mandated to an alcohol intervention, examine changes over time, and investigate the influence of both baseline and time-varying experienced consequences. Method: This study was a secondary data analysis from a longitudinal randomized controlled trial. Participants were 474 mandated students (Mage = 18.65; 55.5 % male, 77.6 % White). Students completed an initial baseline assessment of demographics, alcohol use, consequences, and hypothetical evaluations, and 3-month and 9-month follow-up assessments that included hypothetical evaluations and experienced consequences. Results: Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analyses revealed significant change in hypothetical evaluations over time such that they became less negative. A piecewise model demonstrated that this change happened between baseline and 3-month, with no additional change between 3-month and 9-month. The experience of consequences at baseline did not significantly moderate changes in either time interval. Time-varying consequences also had no significant effect on same-timepoint hypothetical evaluations. Conclusions: This study is the first to examine changes in hypothetical evaluations over time among mandated college students. Counter to expectations, hypothetical evaluations became less negative at 3-month follow-up. Though preliminary, findings add to the understanding of hypothetical evaluations of alcohol-related consequences.

World Health Organization Risk Drinking Levels Among Mandated College Students: Associations With Alcohol Use, Mental Health, and Academic Performance.

World Health Organization (WHO) risk drinking levels (i.e., low, moderate, high, or very high risk) have been used as a drinking-reduction endpoint in clinical trials. Yet, prior work has not attempted to quantify reductions in WHO risk levels among mandated students, who may also benefit from reduced drinking. We sought to validate WHO risk drinking levels in differentiating students' alcohol-related outcomes, depressive symptoms, and academic performance. Defining risk via typical drinks per drinking day versus drinks per day was compared, and gender differences were examined. Baseline data were drawn from three intervention trials for students mandated to intervention and who were not abstinent (N = 1,436). Sex-specific WHO risk levels were generated and dummy coded, with low risk as the reference. Regression models examined associations of risk levels with positive Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores, peak drinking, consequences, depressive symptoms, and grade point average. Defining WHO risk via drinks per drinking day evenly dispersed students across categories, whereas drinks per day categorized most students as low risk. More women than men were classified as very high risk across definitions. Students classified as low risk differed from those classified as moderate, high, and very high risk in screening positive on the AUDIT, peak drinking, and consequences. WHO risk levels did not differentiate depressive symptoms. Differences in grade point average were inconsistent across risk definitions. WHO risk drinking levels differentiated alcohol use and consequences and, therefore, hold promise for clinical use and for quantifying drinking reductions among mandated college students.

Does self-affirmation augment the effects of a mandated personalized feedback intervention? A randomized controlled trial with heavy drinking college students.

Theory and evidence indicate that affirming the value of the self before exposure to a threatening message fosters more open-minded appraisal of message content. We predicted that college students mandated to a computer-delivered personalized feedback intervention (PFI) and who engaged in a self-affirmation (SA) exercise would demonstrate reduce drinking and consequences relative to those who received an attention control. Participants were 484 undergraduates (age 18-24, 56% male, 78% White) mandated to participate in an alcohol intervention following a first-time alcohol policy violation. After a baseline assessment, each was randomized to SA (n = 256) or attention control (n = 227) prior to a computer-delivered PFI intervention. Posttest measures included an affirmation manipulation check; primary outcomes (past month weekly quantity, peak drinks, binge frequency, consequences) were assessed at 1-, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-ups. We used latent growth curve modeling to test study hypotheses. The SA exercise increased positive self-evaluation at posttest (p < .001). Overall reductions in drinking and consequences were observed at early follow-up (all p < .05), but the SA manipulation was not associated with intercept or slope factor differences in the models. Engaging in assessments during COVID restrictions was generally associated with reduced drinking and consequences. The SA exercise did not differentially affect trajectories of alcohol use and consequences, despite evidence that the exercise had the predicted effect on participant's self-evaluations. The lack of SA effects could be attributed to a nonthreatening PFI intervention that is generally accepted among mandated students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Does abstaining from alcohol in high school moderate intervention effects for college students? Implications for tiered intervention strategies.

Brief motivational intervention (BMI) and personalized feedback intervention (PFI) are individual-focused brief alcohol intervention approaches that have been proven efficacious for reducing alcohol use among college students and young adults. Although the efficacy of these two intervention approaches has been well established, little is known about the factors that may modify their effects on alcohol outcomes. In particular, high school drinking may be a risk factor for continued and heightened use of alcohol in college, and thus may influence the outcomes of BMI and PFI. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether high school drinking was associated with different intervention outcomes among students who received PFI compared to those who received BMI. We conducted moderation analyses examining 348 mandated students (60.1% male; 73.3% White; and 61.5% first-year student) who were randomly assigned to either a BMI or a PFI and whose alcohol consumption was assessed at 4-month and 15-month follow-ups. Results from marginalized zero-inflated Poisson models showed that high school drinking moderated the effects of PFI and BMI at the 4-month follow-up but not at the 15-month follow-up. Specifically, students who reported no drinking in their senior year of high school consumed a 49% higher mean number of drinks after receiving BMI than PFI at the 4-month follow-up. The results suggest that alcohol consumption in high school may be informative when screening and allocating students to appropriate alcohol interventions to meet their different needs.

College students mandated to substance use courses: Age-of-onset as a predictor of contemporary polysubstance use

Objective: College campuses report alcohol and other drug policy violations as the most frequent reason students receive disciplinary referrals and, thus, are mandated to programming. This study sought to determine predictors of mandated students’ alcohol use frequency, and the likelihood of early-onset alcohol using college students enrolled in mandated programming engaging in current polysubstance use. Methods and participants: Employing a purposive sampling method, n = 822 participants were recruited from a pool of students who violated their university’s alcohol policy between October 2019 and July 2021. Results: Data analysis revealed early-onset alcohol use (p < .001), gender ID (p < .01), Greek Affiliation (p < .001), ethnicity (p < .05), and perceived norms (p < .001) significantly predicted alcohol frequency. Analysis also revealed engaging in early-onset alcohol use significantly predicted current participation in polysubstance use (p < 0.01), outside of controls. Conclusions: University programs should consider exploring polysubstance use targeted interventions to mitigate these harmful behaviors and associated negative consequences.

Predictors of receptivity to an alcohol intervention among mandated students

ObjectiveStudents in violation of campus alcohol policy often must participate in an alcohol risk reduction intervention, and some mandated students express overt resistance to change. This study tested a priori hypotheses about psychological variables that might predict receptivity to an online brief alcohol intervention. MethodParticipants were 193 students (56% male, 88% underclassmen, 70% white) who were referred to the campus Office of Alcohol and Other Drugs after being cited for alcohol policy violations. Before their mandated online alcohol intervention, they completed a baseline assessment consisting of demographics and questionnaires about their alcohol use, attitudes toward moderate and heavy drinking, beliefs about the centrality of alcohol in college life, perceived descriptive and injunctive drinking norms, trait defensiveness, social desirability and response to the event leading to their sanction. They also responded to a set of questions about how interested in, open-minded, and likely to benefit they were from the computer-delivered alcohol intervention they were about to take. ResultsControlling for covariates and all other predictors, greater receptivity to intervention was predicted by heavier alcohol consumption, positive attitude towards moderate drinking, perceptions that peers were less approving of heavy drinking, and taking personal responsibility for the incident. ConclusionsAmong students mandated to participate in an alcohol intervention, openness to benefitting from the intervention varies in predictable ways. Because intervention receptiveness is associated with post-intervention change, we offer suggestions to tailor mandated interventions in ways that might improve outcomes.

“Women Never Use Drugs Alone”: Assessing Stigma &amp; Access to Care among Women who Use Drugs.

Background&#x0D; Substance misuse remains a significant health threat in communities across Indiana. Despite the 2015 HIV outbreak in Scott County, Indiana’s health systems continue to lack the capacity to reduce health harms associated with substance misuse. Unlike general patient populations, people who use drugs (PWUD) face various social and structural barriers that impede access to health care and result in poorer health outcomes. Such impediments are of more significant concern for pregnant women who use drugs (PWWUD) who experience greater stigma, complex health needs, and require more specialized care. The purpose of this study was to assess access to healthcare and related services among women of childbearing age with a history of substance misuse.&#x0D; Methods&#x0D; For this qualitative study, participants (n=20) completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and semi-structured interview. Interview questions included perceptions of their overall health, healthcare experiences, and how to improve access to and retention in these services.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; The results reported reflect a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. Two key care barriers identified were: (1) experiences of stigma related to professionals’ attitudes towards PWWUD and (2) fear of losing custody of their child as a result of physician mandated reporting to child welfare.&#x0D; Conclusions and Recommendations &#x0D; Addressing social and stigma related barriers experienced by PWWUD are key to increased linkage to and retention in care as well as improved health outcomes. Additionally, our findings call for mandated student and physician education on patients who use drugs as well as reform of mandated reporting laws to reduce barriers and increase care access among PWWUD.

A Novel Approach for Streamlining Delivery of Brief Motivational Interventions to Mandated College Students: Using Group and Individual Sessions Matched to Level of Risk

ABSTRACTBackground: Mandated college students (those in violation of a campus alcohol policy) are heterogenous with respect to alcohol consumption. Thus, when universities consider required treatment for mandated students, one promising option is to match treatment intensity according to level of alcohol involvement. The present study evaluates such an approach with minimal resources. Methods: Mandated students (N = 285) were required to complete a baseline assessment. Participants identified as high-risk (5+ past month alcohol problems AND 2+ past month heavy drinking episodes) received a one session individual Brief Motivational Intervention (I-BMI) whereas those identified as low-risk (all others) received a one session group Brief Motivational Intervention (G-BMI). I-BMI and G-BMI sessions were delivered by doctoral students in Clinical Psychology. Follow-up assessments were collected 1 month post-intervention (response rate = 73%). Results: The vast majority of students complied with their requirement. Participants assigned to I-BMI reported an 82% reduction in drinks per week, a 58% reduction in heavy episodic drinking, and a 74% reduction in alcohol-related problems at a 1 month follow-up. Participants assigned to G-BMI reported a 61% reduction in drinks per week and a 42% reduction in alcohol-related problems at follow-up relative to baseline. Conclusion/Importance: We demonstrate that matching intervention intensity on baseline alcohol involvement with mandated students is feasible and associated with short-term reductions in alcohol use and consequences. Universities may wish to consider the procedure outlined here as a way of allocating more resources to those who drink at problematic levels.

Do brief motivational interventions reduce drinking game frequency in mandated students? An analysis of data from two randomized controlled trials.

College students frequently engage in drinking games (DGs) and experience a variety of consequences as a result. It is currently unknown whether brief motivational interventions (BMIs) that provide feedback on DG participation can reduce this high risk behavior. This study examined outcome data from 2 randomized clinical trials to examine whether BMIs facilitate change in DG frequency and how these changes may occur. Mandated college students (Trial 1, N = 198, 46% female; Trial 2, N = 412; 32% female) were randomized to BMI or comparison control conditions. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to compare the BMI and comparison groups to determine whether the BMI reduced DG participation over time. Percent change talk (PCT) during the discussion of DG during the session was examined as a predictor of change in DG frequency, and gender was examined as a moderator of treatment effects. Controlling for regular drinking frequency, participants who received a BMI did not significantly reduce their DG frequency relative to the comparison group in either sample, and the BMI was equally ineffective at reducing DG behavior for men and women. DG-related PCT during the BMI was associated with lower DG frequency at the second follow-up in both trials. In Trial 1, PCT during the BMI was associated with less steep increases in DG frequency across the course of all follow-ups. Effects of PCT on DG behavior were not moderated by gender. Findings did not support hypothesized reductions in DG participation following a BMI. Future research should explore whether targeted DG-specific interventions could reduce DG participation and the role of in-session client language in facilitating such change. (PsycINFO Database Record

A text message program as a booster to in-person brief interventions for mandated college students to prevent weekend binge drinking

ABSTRACTObjective: To evaluate a text message (SMS) program as a booster to an in-person alcohol intervention with mandated college students. Participants: Undergraduates (N = 224; 46% female) who violated an on-campus alcohol policy over a 2-semester period in 2014. Methods: The SMS program sent drinking-related queries each Thursday and Sunday and provided tailored feedback for 6 weeks. Response rates to SMS drinking-related queries and the associations between weekend drinking plans, drinking-limit goal commitment, and alcohol consumption were examined. Gender differences were explored. Results: Ninety percent of SMS queries were completed. Weekend binge drinking decreased over 6 weeks, and drinking-limit goal commitment was associated with less alcohol consumption. Compared with women, men had greater reductions in alcohol consumption when they committed to a drinking-limit goal. Conclusions: Preliminary evidence suggests that an SMS program could be useful as a booster for helping mandated students reduce weekend binge drinking.

Drinking Location and Pregaming as Predictors of Alcohol Intoxication Among Mandated College Students

ABSTRACTBackground: Both drinking location and pregaming have been associated with heavy alcohol use among college students, yet the manner by which they uniquely contribute to alcohol intoxication remains unclear. Objective: The current study examined the unique utility of drinking location and pregaming in predicting alcohol intoxication among college students who violated campus alcohol policy. Method: Between 2011 and 2012, mandated college students who reported drinking prior to their referral events (N = 212, 41% female, 80% White, Mage = 19.4 y) completed a computerized assessment of drinking location and related behaviors as part of larger research trial. Chi-squared statistics, t-tests, one-way analyses of covariance, and regression were used to examine study aims. Results: Participants were most likely (44%) to report drinking in off-campus housing prior to the referral event, and approximately half (47%) reported pregaming. Alcohol intoxication on the night of the referral event differed significantly as a function of both drinking location and pregaming, but pregaming did not moderate the association between drinking location and alcohol intoxication among mandated students. Female birth sex, pregaming, and drinking at either fraternities or off-campus housing predicted greater levels of alcohol intoxication on the night of the referral incident, while drinking in a residence hall/dorm predicted lower intoxication. Conclusions/Importance: Drinking location and pregaming are distinct predictors of alcohol intoxication among mandated college students. Future interventions may benefit from targeting both where and how college students consume alcohol.

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.

Descriptive norms and expectancies as mediators of a brief motivational intervention for mandated college students receiving stepped care for alcohol use.

Stepped care approaches for mandated college students provide individual brief motivational interventions (BMI) only for individuals who do not respond to an initial, low-intensity level of treatment such as Brief Advice (BA). However, how BMIs facilitate change in this higher-risk group of mandated students remains unclear. Perceived descriptive norms and alcohol-related expectancies are the most commonly examined mediators of BMI efficacy but have yet to be examined in the context of stepped care. Participants were mandated college students (N = 598) participating in a stepped care trial in which mandated students first received BA. Those who reported continued risky drinking 6 weeks following a BA session were randomized to either a single-session BMI (N = 163) or an assessment-only comparison condition (AO; N = 165). BMI participants reduced alcohol-related problems at the 9 month follow up significantly more than AO participants. Multiple mediation analyses using bootstrapping techniques examined whether perceived descriptive norms and alcohol-related expectancies mediated the observed outcomes. Reductions in perceptions of average student drinking (B = -.24; 95% CI [-.61, -.04]) and negative expectancies (B = -.13; 95% CI [-.38, -.01]) mediated the BMI effects. Furthermore, perceived average student norms were reduced after the BMI to levels approximating those of students who had exhibited lower risk drinking following the BA session. Findings highlight the utility of addressing perceived norms and expectancies in BMIs, especially for students who have not responded to less intensive prevention efforts.

The impact of defensiveness and incident reactions on post-sanction drinking behaviors among mandated students

IntroductionPrior studies with mandated students (students referred for an intervention following violation of a campus alcohol policy) have suggested that decreases in drinking behaviors may occur before clinical intervention. Others studies have suggested that greater reductions were associated with lower defensiveness and stronger incident reactions, such as responsibility and aversiveness. The current study sought to integrate these findings and examine the influence of pre-sanction drinking and perceptions on mandated students' post-sanction drinking levels prior to attending a brief intervention. MethodsData were collected as part of a longitudinal study of brief interventions in a mandated student sample (N=61, 43% female, 97% White). Participants completed demographic measures, scales measuring incident reactions and defensiveness, and a Time Line Follow Back assessing drinking quantity and frequency both pre- and post-sanction. ResultsAnalyses revealed significant post-sanction decreases in quantity (average total drinks per month) and frequency (number of monthly drinking days). Pre-sanction drinking quantity and frequency significantly predicted post-sanction quantity and frequency, respectively. Interaction effects suggest higher post-sanction quantities among moderate and heavier drinkers with higher defensiveness and lower aversiveness perceptions, while perceptions did not influence outcomes among light drinkers. None of the interactions involving blame or responsibility, or predicting post-sanction frequency, were significant. ConclusionsThese findings suggest a complex relationship between pre-sanction drinking and student reactions. Implications for mandated student interactions and future research directions are discussed.

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.

Do students mandated to intervention for campus alcohol-related violations drink more than nonmandated students?

It is often assumed that "mandated students" (i.e., those who violate campus alcohol policies and are mandated to receive an alcohol intervention) drink more than students from the general population. To test this assumption empirically, we compared alcohol-use levels of a sample of students mandated for alcohol violations (n = 435) with a representative sample of nonmandated students from the same university (n = 1,876). As expected, mandated students were more likely to be male, younger, first-year students, and living in on-campus dorms, and they reported poorer academic performance (i.e., grade point averages). With respect to alcohol use, after controlling for demographic differences, they reported more drinks per week than those in the general university sample but they did not report drinking heavily more frequently than nonmandated students. Within the mandated student sample, there was considerable variability in drinking level; that is, the frequency of heavy drinking covered the full range from never to 10+ times in the past month, and there was a larger standard deviation for drinks per week among mandated students than among those in the general sample. These results challenge the assumption that mandated students drink heavily more often but do provide empirical support for the assumption that students who violate alcohol policies drink at higher quantities, justifying the need for an alcohol use reduction intervention.

Brief motivational intervention for heavy drinking mandated and voluntary freshmen: A 1-year follow-up assessment

BackgroundAlcohol abuse among freshmen university students is a major public health issue with associated costs to individuals and the society of substantial morbidity, high-risk negative behaviors (e.g., blackouts, rape, suicide, and violence), and mortality. This longitudinal study compared the effectiveness of a brief motivational intervention (MI) in decreasing alcohol consumption and related consequences among mandated students and voluntary students. Readiness to change drinking behaviors was compared between the groups. MethodsEligible participants (710 voluntary and 190 mandated, N = 900) received MI at baseline and again at 2 weeks with boosters at 3, 6, and 12 months. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to compare the two groups. ResultsAlcohol use and related consequences in both groups decreased significantly between baseline and 12 months. At baseline, a significantly larger percent of students from the mandated group than the voluntary group were in the action stage of change (52.1% vs. 27.5%), and a significantly smaller percentage of mandated students were in the precontemplation stage (p < .0001). DiscussionMI effects were sustained over 12 months. Alcohol consumption and related consequences decreased significantly among the freshmen who were mandated to attend the program as well as among students who volunteered to participate in the study. The findings support the importance of advanced practice nurses conducting MI as an intervention with college students.

Response of heavy-drinking voluntary and mandated college students to a peer-led brief motivational intervention addressing alcohol use

Little is known about the way in which mandated and heavy-drinking voluntary students comparatively respond to peer-led brief motivational interventions (BMIs) and the mediators and moderators of intervention effects. Research suggests that mandated students may be more defensive due to their involvement in treatment against their will and this defensiveness, in turn, may relate to treatment outcome. Furthermore, it is not clear how mandated and heavy-drinking voluntary students perceived satisfaction with peer-led BMIs relates to treatment outcomes. Using data from two separate randomized controlled trials, heavy drinking college students (heavy-drinking voluntary, n=156; mandated, n=82) completed a peer-led brief motivational intervention (BMI). Both mandated and heavy-drinking volunteer students significantly reduced drinking behaviors at 3-month follow-up, reported high levels of post-intervention session satisfaction, yet no effects for mediation or moderation were found. Findings offer continued support for using peer counselors to deliver BMIs; however, results regarding the mechanisms of change were in contrast to previous findings. Implications for treatment and future areas of research are discussed.

Drinking reductions following alcohol-related sanctions are associated with social norms among college students.

Students mandated for intervention following an alcohol-related sanction event often reduce their drinking prior to intervention. Knowing the determinants of self-initiated change may help identify intervention targets for individuals who do not reduce their drinking. Guided by self-regulation theory, we tested whether fewer past alcohol consequences and higher descriptive and injunctive norms would be associated with higher levels of postsanction drinking. College students referred for a campus alcohol violation (N = 658, 64% male) reported on their drinking during the month before and after their sanction event. Results show that postsanction drinking was significantly lower than presanction drinking across 4 outcomes: (a) drinks per drinking day, (b) drinks per week, (c) peak drinks, and (d) peak blood alcohol concentration. Hypothesized social influence variables (i.e., descriptive and injunctive norms) were consistently associated with all 4 drinking outcomes; that is, students who perceived that their friends drank more and held more accepting views of drinking were less reactive to alcohol-related sanctions. Past consequences of drinking did not consistently predict subsequent drinking. Therefore, we conclude that alcohol interventions for mandated students should target both descriptive and injunctive norms to optimize their efficacy.