MADD victim impact panels and stages-of-change in drunk-driving prevention

Objective: To assess the additional effects of Mothers Against Drunk Drivin g (MADD) Victim Impact Panels (VIPs) over the effects of a DWI (driving whi le intoxicated) school, on (1) moving individuals through the stages-of-cha nge toward not drinking while driving and (2) drunk-driving recidivism. Met hod: A randomized experiment with 813 (75% male) DWI offenders in New Mexic o measured progress through the stages-of-change at pretest, posttest, 1-ye ar follow-up and 2-year follow-up. In addition, drunk-driving recidivism ov er 2 years was measured from state driving records. Individuals were random ly assigned to a DWI school or a DWI school plus a MADD VIP. Results: No si gnificant difference in movement through the stages-of-change, or in recidi vism, occurred between respondents in the DWI-school-only treatment, and th ose in the DWI school plus VIP treatment. Conclusions: There was no additio nal effect of the MADD VIP, a relatively emotional intervention, over that of the DWI school, a relatively informational approach, on DWI behavior (wh ether measured by stages-of-change or by DWI rearrest data) over the 2-year period following the two interventions.