SCREENING AND BRIEF INTERVENTION FOR HIGH-RISK COLLEGE-STUDENT DRINKERS - RESULTS FROM A 2-YEAR FOLLOW-UP ASSESSMENT

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of a brief int ervention designed to reduce the harmful consequences of heavy drinkin g among high-risk college students. Students screened for risk while i n their senior year of high school (188 women and 160 men) were random ly assigned to receive an individualized motivational brief interventi on in their freshman year of college or to a no-treatment control cond ition. A normative group selected from the entire screening pool provi ded a natural history comparison. Follow-up assessments over a 2-year period showed significant reductions in both drinking rates and harmfu l consequences, favoring students receiving the intervention. Although high-risk students continued to experience more alcohol problems than the natural history comparison group over the 2-year period, most sho wed a decline in problems over time, suggesting a developmental matura tional effect.