Drinking plans and drinking outcomes: examining young adults' weekend drinking behavior

This study examined relationships among drinking intentions, environments, and outcomes in a random sample of 566 undergraduate college students. Telephone interviews were conducted with respondents before and after a single weekend assessing drinking intentions for the coming weekend related to subsequent drinking behaviors. Latent class analyses found evidence for four distinct drinking environments distinguished by private/public setting and presence of few/many intoxicated people. There was evidence that the drinking environment mediated the relationship between drinking intentions and heavy episodic drinking in this young adult sample. Future research might focus on examining person/environment interactions as they relate to heavy episodic drinking.

A brief image-based prevention intervention for adolescents

The authors evaluated the efficacy of a brief image-based prevention intervention and assessed current drug use as a moderator of intervention effects. In a clinical trial, 416 high school-age adolescents were randomized to either the brief intervention or usual care control, with data collected at baseline and 3-month follow-up. The brief intervention consisted of a tailored in-person communication and a series of parent/guardian print materials based on the behavior-image model. Health behavior goal setting increased for participants receiving the brief intervention, with an effect size in the small range (d = 0.33). Overall effect sizes for cigarette smoking frequency and quantity and alcohol use frequency and quantity were small (ds = 0.16-0.21) and in favor of the brief intervention. However, adolescents reporting current substance use who received the brief intervention reduced their frequency and heavy use of alcohol, frequency and quantity of cigarette smoking, and reported fewer alcohol/drug problems, with larger effects ranging from small to approaching medium in size (ds = 0.32-0.43, ps < .01). This study suggests that brief image-based messages may increase health behavior goal setting and reduce substance use, particularly among drug-using older adolescents.

Are effects from a brief multiple behavior intervention for college students sustained over time?

OBJECTIVE

This study examined whether 3-month outcomes of a brief image-based multiple behavior intervention on health habits and health-related quality of life of college students were sustained at 12-month follow-up without further intervention.

METHODS

A randomized control trial was conducted with 303 undergraduates attending a public university in southeastern US. Participants were randomized to receive either a brief intervention or usual care control, with baseline, 3-month, and 12-month data collected during fall of 2007.

RESULTS

A significant omnibus MANOVA interaction effect was found for health-related quality of life, p=0.01, with univariate interaction effects showing fewer days of poor spiritual health, social health, and restricted recent activity, p's<0.05, for those receiving the brief intervention. Significant group by time interaction effects were found for driving after drinking, p=0.04, and moderate exercise, p=0.04, in favor of the brief intervention. Effect sizes typically increased over time and were small except for moderate size effects for social health-related quality of life.

CONCLUSION

This study found that 3-month outcomes from a brief image-based multiple behavior intervention for college students were partially sustained at 12-month follow-up.

Health behavior insights: the transtheoretical/stages of change model: Carlo C. DiClemente, PhD

Showcased in this article is an interview with Carlo C. DiClemente, PhD, an internationally renowned health behavior researcher and codeveloper of the Transtheoretical or Stages of Change Model. In this verbatim interview transcript, later edited by the authors and interviewee, Dr. DiClemente, he provides practical information and frank commentary on the steps to follow and pitfalls to avoid in developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating efficacious programs for affecting the health and well-being of individuals and populations. A concluding section summarizes key lessons learned from the professional experiences of Dr. DiClemente and discusses implications for advancing health behavior intervention practice and research.

Brief multiple behavior health interventions for older adolescents

PURPOSE

This study examined whether brief intervention strategies founded on the Behavior-Image Model and addressing positive images of college and career success could be potentially efficacious in impacting multiple health habits of high-risk adolescents transitioning into adulthood.

DESIGN

Participants were stratified by grade level and drug use and individually randomized to one of the three Plan for Success interventions, with baseline and 1 month postintervention data collections.

SETTING

A large, relatively diverse suburban school in northeast Florida.

SUBJECTS

A total of 375 11th and 12th grade students participated during the spring semester 2006.

INTERVENTION

Three interventions studied included: (1) Goal Survey, (2) Goal Survey plus Contract, or (3) Goal Survey plus Consult.

MEASURES

Outcome measures included multiple health risk, health promotion, and personal development behaviors, as well as image and belief measures.

ANALYSIS

Repeated-measures MANOVAs and ANOVAs were used to examine intervention effects.

RESULTS

MANOVAs were significant for alcohol use, F(4,328) = 6.33, p = .001; marijuana use, F(4,317) = 3.72, p = .01; exercise, F(3,299 = 4.28, p = .01; college preparation, F(2,327) = 6.26, p = .001; and career preparation, F(2,329) = 6.17, p = .001, with most behaviors improving over time, whereas group-by-time interaction effects were found for nutrition habits, F(6,652) = 2.60, p = .02; and career preparation, F(4,658) = 3.26, p = .01, favoring the consultation.

CONCLUSION

Brief interventions founded on the Behavior-Image Model may have potential to improve selected health and personal development habits among older adolescents.

Efficacy of a brief image-based multiple-behavior intervention for college students

BACKGROUND

Epidemiologic data indicate most adolescents and adults experience multiple, simultaneous risk behaviors.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of a brief image-based multiple-behavior intervention (MBI) for college students.

METHODS

A total of 303 college students were randomly assigned to: (1) a brief MBI or (2) a standard care control, with a 3-month postintervention follow-up.

RESULTS

Omnibus treatment by time multivariate analysis of variance interactions were significant for three of six behavior groupings, with improvements for college students receiving the brief MBI on alcohol consumption behaviors, F(6, 261) = 2.73, p = 0.01, marijuana-use behaviors, F(4, 278) = 3.18, p = 0.01, and health-related quality of life, F(5, 277) = 2.80, p = 0.02, but not cigarette use, exercise, and nutrition behaviors. Participants receiving the brief MBI also got more sleep, F(1, 281) = 9.49, p = 0.00, than those in the standard care control.

CONCLUSIONS

A brief image-based multiple-behavior intervention may be useful in influencing a number of critical health habits and health-related quality-of-life indicators of college students.

Normative beliefs as risk factors for involvement in unhealthy weight control behavior

OBJECTIVE

The authors' aim in this study was to determine, after adjustment for the effects of body mass index and sociodemographic measures, whether sex-specific weight control norms would have significant independent relationships with the weight control behavior of college women and men.

PARTICIPANTS

The authors used an anonymous questionnaire to assess a sample of 470 college students, aged 18 to 26 years, attending either a 2- year community college or a 4-year public university.

METHODS

To calculate body mass index, the authors objectively measured the height and weight of each participant. They conducted separate discriminant function analyses for women and men.

RESULTS

The discriminant function analyses clearly indicated that weight control norms of same-sex, close friends were the best discriminators of involvement in weight control.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that perceived peer norms may be important but overlooked risk factors for engaging in unhealthy weight control practices. The authors discuss the implications of these findings in the context of student health promotion.