EFFECTS OF NORMATIVE FEEDBACK ON CONSUMPTION AMONG HEAVY DRINKING COLLEGE-STUDENTS

College students, particularly those who drink heavily, tend to overes timate the prevalence of heavy drinking among their peers. A self-regu lation model predicts that feedback of undesirable deviation from norm ative standards would result in correction of behavior toward perceive d norms. From a screening of 568 college students, sixty-four heavy dr inkers were identified and offered the opportunity to participate in a survey study of drinking. Of these, twenty-six accepted and returned questionnaires with detailed information regarding their drinking prac tices. These were randomized to receive or not receive, by return mail , personal feedback of their drinking relative to population norms. At an independent follow-up interview, feedback subjects showed greater reduction in weekly consumption and typical intoxication levels, relat ive to controls. This simple feedback intervention, requiring no perso nal contact, may be a cost-effective strategy for reducing risky drink ing.