Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

Outcomes of a technology-based social norms intervention to deter alcohol use in freshman residence halls

Thombs, D.L., Olds, R.S., Osborn, C.J., Casseday, S., Glavin, K., Berkowitz, A.D. (2007) Outcomes of a technology-based social norms intervention to deter alcohol use in freshman residence halls. Journal of American College Health, 55 (6). pp. 325-332. ISSN 0744-8481. (doi:10.3200/jach.55.6.325-332) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:8138)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
https://doi.org/10.3200/jach.55.6.325-332

Abstract

Objective: The authors tested a prototype intervention designed to deter alcohol use in residence halls. Participants: Approximately 384 freshmen participated in the study over a 2-year period. Methods: The authors devised a feedback method that assessed residents' blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at night and allowed the readings to be retrieved the next day via the Web. Residents in an intervention hall received their BAC readings as well as normative feedback. In a comparison hall, residents could retrieve only the BAC readings. Results: The authors found statistically significant hall differences, but they were small in size and not meaningful. Conclusions: Qualitative findings suggest the intervention had an overall positive impact, but the actions of a subgroup of rebellious drinkers might have obscured the effect. Social norms interventions could provoke some episodes of excessive drinking in students who find these messages objectionable. More research is needed to evaluate delayed BAC feedback.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.3200/jach.55.6.325-332
Uncontrolled keywords: blood alcohol concentration; college student drinking; freshman year of college; Social Norms Model
Subjects: R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research
Depositing User: Jane Griffiths
Date Deposited: 14 Jul 2008 10:40 UTC
Last Modified: 09 Mar 2023 11:30 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/8138 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.