Pedersen ER, D'Amico EJ, LaBrie JW, Klein DJ, Farris C, Griffin BA. A randomized controlled trial of an online alcohol and sexual risk prevention program for college students studying abroad.
JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023;
145:208951. [PMID:
36880917 PMCID:
PMC10166257 DOI:
10.1016/j.josat.2023.208951]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
American college students who study abroad experience increases in their drinking behavior, concerning risky sexual behaviors, and high rates of sexual violence while abroad. Despite these concerns, institutions offer limited programming to students prior to departure to address these risks and no empirically supported interventions currently exist that are targeted toward preventing increased drinking, risky sexual behavior, and sexual violence abroad. To help address alcohol and sexual risk abroad, we designed a brief, single-session online predeparture intervention focused on risk and protective factors known to associate with alcohol and sexual risk abroad.
METHODS
Using a sample of 650 college students from 40 home institutions, we conducted a randomized controlled trial of the intervention and tested its effects on drinking (drinks per week, binge drinking frequency, alcohol related-consequences), risky sexual behaviors, and sexual violence victimization during the trip abroad (first month, last month abroad) and one-month and three-months after return home.
RESULTS
We observed small, but nonsignificant, intervention effects on drinks per week and binge drinking days during the first month abroad and three months after they had returned home to the United States, and small, significant effects on risky sexual behaviors during the first month abroad. The study found no observable effects at any time point for alcohol-related consequences or for sexual violence victimization abroad.
CONCLUSIONS
Though mostly nonsignificant, small initial intervention effects were promising in this first empirical test of an alcohol and sexual risk prevention program for study abroad students. However, students may need more intensive programming with booster sessions to experience lasting intervention effects during this particularly high-risk period.
CLINICALTRIALS
GOV IDENTIFIER
NCT03928067.
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