Relative efficacy of a brief motivational intervention for college studentdrinkers

The authors evaluated the efficacy of Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervent ion for College Students (BASICS; L. A. Dimeff, J. S. Baer, D. R. Kivlahan, & G. A. Marlatt, 1999), a single session of drinking-related feedback inte nded to reduce heavy drinking and related harm. College student drinkers (N = 99) were assigned to BASICS, an educational intervention, or an assessme nt-only control group. At 3 months postintervention, there were no overall significant group differences, but heavier drinking BASICS participants sho wed greater reductions in weekly alcohol consumption and binge drinking tha n did heavier drinking control and education participants. At 9 months, hea vier drinking BASICS participants again showed the largest effect sizes. BA SICS participants evaluated the intervention more favorably than did educat ion participants. This study suggests that BASICS may be more efficacious t han educational interventions for heavier drinking college students.