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What Colleges Need to Know Now
An Update on College Drinking Research
T
College Drinking and Its
he comprehensive reports released by the
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Consequences: New Data
Alcoholism’s (NIAAA’s) Task Force on
College Drinking turned a national spotlight on the
problem of harmful drinking among college stu­
dents. The central report, A Call to Action: Changing
As national headlines attest, students continue to
be seriously injured or die as a result of drinking.
the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges, has proven
Are these attention-grabbing headlines designed
influential in the college alcohol and other drug
to simply sell newspapers, or is the problem as extensive
(AOD) prevention and treatment field. Statistics
today as it was in 2002 when the NIAAA Task Force
first introduced in the report are now routinely used
first reported its findings?
to convey the magnitude of college drinking prob­
lems and their consequences. Policymakers, legal
The news is mixed. Among college students and other
experts, and organizations that provide college pro­
18- to 24-year-olds, binge drinking (see the textbox,
gramming assistance have modified their efforts to
page 2, for a definition) and, in particular, driving while
reflect the Task Force recommendations.
intoxicated (DWI), have increased since 1998. The
College drinking research remains a high priority for
number of students who reported DWI increased from
NIAAA, and ongoing projects continue to yield
2.3 million students to 2.8 million (1). The number of
important new information. This bulletin summa­
alcohol-related deaths also have increased. In 2001, there
rizes these recent findings with updated statistics,
were an estimated 1,700 alcohol-related unintentional
analysis, and recommendations.
injury deaths among students 18–24, an increase of 6
percent among college students (that is, per college pop­
C o n t e n t s
ulation) since 1998 (1). In addition, it is estimated that
1 College Drinking and Its Consequences: New Data
each year, more than 696,000 students between the ages
2 Interventions—What Is the New Research Telling Us?
of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has
2 Defining Binge Drinking
been drinking, and more than 97,000 students between
the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual
4 Are College Students at Higher Risk?
assault or date rape (1). Clearly, alcohol-related problems
5 Treatment for Alcohol Problems: An Unmet Need
on campus still exist (1).
7 College Drinking—A Global Issue
8 Ongoing Research and Collaborative Efforts
Another line of research is examining how becoming
9 Tracking Students’ Drinking Patterns
intoxicated at a young age is linked to later drinking prob­
9 A Word on Alcohol Poisoning
lems during the college years. The results showed that col­
10 Questions Campus Leaders Should Ask
lege students who first became intoxicated prior to age 19
11 Keep an Eye on . . .
were significantly more likely to be alcohol dependent and
Continued on page 2
U . S . D e p a rt m e n t o f H e a l t h a n d H u m a n S e rv i c e s • National Institutes of Health
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
New Data continued from page 1
Interventions—What Is the
frequent heavy drinkers. These younger drinkers
New Research Telling Us?
also were more likely to report driving after drinking,
riding with a driver who was drinking or drunk, and
sustaining injuries after drinking alcohol that required
medical attention (2).
In April 2002, NIAAA released a series of com­
prehensive reports from its groundbreaking
Task Force on College Drinking. Findings
There also is encouraging news. Research shows that emanating from the work of the Task Force were
several carefully conducted community initiatives
summarized in the report A Call to Action: Changing
aimed at reducing alcohol problems among college-
the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges, which
age youth have been effective, leading to reductions in
included solid, evidence-based recommendations
underage drinking, alcohol-related assaults, emer gency to college and university administrators, community
department visits, and alcohol-related crashes (1).
leaders, policymakers, parents, and students on
addressing problems related to college drinking.
A close collaboration between colleges and their
surrounding communities is key. This includes
Central to the Task Force findings was the recognition
environmental approaches (such as more vigorous
that successful interventions occur at three distinct
enforcement of zero tolerance laws, other drinking
levels. In this concept, termed the 3-in-1 approach,
and driving laws, and strategies to reduce the
availability of alcohol) as well as approaches that
interventions must operate simultaneously to reach
target the individual drinker (such as wider imple­
individual students, the student body as a whole,
mentation of alcohol screening, counseling, and
and the greater college community. The Task Force
treatment programs).
members also grouped commonly used intervention
strategies into four tiers, based on the degree of sci­
entific evidence supporting them. Tier 1 represents
Defining Binge Drinking
the most effective strategies to prevent and reduce
One of the challenges
college drinking. Tier 2 represents strategies that
facing researchers as
have been successful with the general population and
they strive to assess
which could be applied to college environments.
drinking in college stu­
Tier 3 represents strategies that show logical and
dents has been the lack
theoretical promise but require more comprehensive
of a uniform definition
evaluation. Finally, Tier 4 focuses on the need to
of heavy episodic (or
evaluate these approaches, in particular to identify
binge) drinking. In
those that are not proving useful.
addition, the use of terms such as “on one
occasion” or “in a sitting” to describe the time-
Today NIAAA continues to monitor research on
frame for binge drinking has been criticized.
college drinking prevention, and current findings
Recognizing this, the NIAAA National Advisory
strongly support both the 3-in-1 approach and the
Council approved the following definition:
grouping of strategies into four tiers. NIAAA recently
A “binge” is a pattern of drinking alcohol
commissioned two papers to examine the latest
that brings blood alcohol concentration
research findings in these areas (3,4). The findings
(BAC) to 0.08 gram-percent or above. For
of these two papers, as well as findings from other
a typical adult, this pattern corresponds to
recent, noteworthy studies, suggest that certain top­
consuming 5 or more drinks (male), or 4
ics warrant updated commentary in this bulletin.
or more drinks (female), in about 2 hours.
Continued on page 3
2
Interventions continued from page 2
Participation Rates Remain Low
Individual Approaches
Unfortunately, recent research also suggests that
those students who most need alcohol interventions
According to several new studies, strategies that focus
may be the least likely to participate (11), yet they
on preventing drinking and alcohol problems in
also are the most likely to experience or to create
individual students continue to have significant
alcohol-related problems on campus (12). Delivering
research support. However, these findings also offer
interventions in settings where students experiencing
some new insights. Since the original Task Force report,
problems with alcohol are more likely to be seen,
a number of new studies have examined measures
such as in health or counseling centers, may be
to reduce drinking among “mandated” students—or
most effective. Research also continues to support
students who have been identified as having a problem
using trained student peers as part of the team that
with alcohol and who have been mandated to receive
provides these interventions (7).
intervention and/or treatment for their problems.
This is in contrast to the original report studies,
One strategy for increasing participation in these
which focused primarily on students who volunteered.
interventions is to make screening a routine event in
university health centers and to use new technology,
New Data on Mandated Students
particularly the Internet, to reach larger percentages
Six new studies of mandated populations have been
of students. This screening will provide greater
completed (5–10). Most of these studies used skills-
opportunities for students to receive brief motiva­
based interventions and motivational interviewing—
tional or skills-based programs, which research con­
that is, teaching students about the risks of drinking
tinues to support. These approaches teach students
(for example, the value of avoiding excessive drinking
how their drinking levels and patterns compare with
to achieve their academic and career goals) and show­
the norm, using techniques such as personalized
ing students how to monitor their drinking, how to
feedback, and give them the skills they need to
set limits and reduce their risks of drinking too much,
change their drinking practices. Brief motivational
and how to handle high-risk situations in which drink­
or skills-based interventions may be especially useful
ing is prevalent. The studies found that these interven­
with high-risk students, such as those who have been
tions can be effective in reducing alcohol-related
mandated to receive help with alcohol-related prob­
problems among mandated students (5–7,9).
lems, freshmen, students involved with fraternities
and sororities, and athletes.
As an example, in a recent study (10) students man­
dated to a substance use prevention program were
The use of computer- or Web-delivered brief inter­
provided either 1) an in-person brief motivational
ventions is showing promise in a college setting
intervention or 2) an alcohol education session.
(13). In their review of PC- and Web-based brief
Both groups of students showed a reduction in
interventions for college students, Walters and
high-risk drinking. Students who received the brief
Neighbors (14) suggested that personalized feed­
motivational interview reported fewer alcohol-related
back may be the key component of this strategy’s
problems than did those who received only the
alcohol education session.
Continued on page 4
“The magnitude of problems posed by excessive drinking among
college students should stimulate both improved measurement
of these problems and efforts to reduce them.”
—Ralph W. Hingson, Sc.D., member, NIAAA Task Force
3
Interventions continued from page 3
Are College Students
success, both in motivating students and helping
at Higher Risk Than
them learn the skills they need to successfully
Their Non-College
change their behavior. Another study (15) tested
the feasibility of providing online alcohol screening
Peers?
and brief intervention to more than one-half of an
Does the college environment itself play
entire freshman class. The students were contacted
a role in whether students drink? Or is it
through e-mail and invited to take the brief inter­
simply that people in this age-group are
vention. The researchers found that, in general,
more likely to drink in ways that are
unhealthy alcohol use—ranging from risky drink­
risky? Dawson and colleagues* reported
ing to alcohol abuse and dependence—decreased
that college students are more likely to
following the intervention.
participate in heavy episodic (or binge)
Given these findings, it appears that increased
drinking than their non-college peers.
alcohol screening and brief interventions are feasible
But what about the adolescents’ drinking
and appropriate for identifying and addressing
behavior prior to college?
harmful drinking among college students.
A recent national study by Timberlake et
al.**, which followed students from early
Campus–Community Partnerships
adolescence through their mid 20’s, found
Historically, research has demonstrated that broad-
that compared with their peers who never
based, community-level interventions can reduce
attended college, current college students
problems such as youth access to alcohol, underage
were less likely to have been binge
drinking, heavy drinking among adults, and drink­
drinkers prior to their college years but
ing while driving. Most of the research on these
more likely to binge drink once they
approaches, however, has centered on community
entered college—probably as a result of
efforts in general and have not looked specifically at
the college environment. The researchers
the college campus environment. For that reason, in
also observed that college students with
the original task force report Campus–Community
a greater genetic risk consumed more
Partnerships were grouped with strategies that
alcohol per drinking episode. Living in an
showed evidence of success with general populations
environment in which drinking behaviors
and which could be applied to college environments.
are promoted may increase this binge
Since that time, several additional community
drinking behavior. More research is need­
intervention studies have shown reductions in
ed to better understand how genetic and
alcohol problems. For example, one study (16)
environmental influences dovetail to
examined the effectiveness of a prevention approach
increase risk for alcohol problems in
targeted to specific neighborhoods. That interven­
young people.
tion, called the Sacramento Neighborhood Alcohol
Prevention Project (or SNAPP), was designed to
SOURCE: * Dawson, D.A.; Grant, B.F.; Stinson, F.S.; et al. Another look
reduce access to alcohol, drinking, and related
at heavy episodic drinking and alcohol use disorders among college and
problems in two low-income, predominantly eth­
noncollege youth. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 65(4):477–488, 2004.
PMID: 15378804 ** Timberlake, D.S.; Hopfer, S.H.R.; Friedman, B.C.;
nic minority neighborhoods. The study focused
et al. College attendance and its effects on drinking behaviors in a longi­
tudinal study of adolescents. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental
primarily on youth and young adults ages 15–29.
Research 31(6):1020–1030, 2007. PMID: 17403064
SNAPP combined interventions that centered on
Continued on page 5
4
Interventions continued from page 4
Treatment for Alcohol
raising awareness, mobilizing community action,
and creating responsible beverage services. The
Problems: An Unmet Need
result was a reduction in alcohol-related problems
such as assaults and motor vehicle crashes.
Another study (17) examined the effect of a State-
level program, Reducing Underage Drinking
Through Coalitions (or RUD). This experimental
trial provided funding for 10 States over an 8-year
period to assist them in forming coalitions that
would prevent youth access to alcohol. The pro­
gram’s success was measured by tracking media
coverage, the number and type of new legislation
enacted, the prevalence of drinking among youth,
and the incidence of alcohol-related drinking and
driving. The results showed sometimes-sizeable
In a recent survey:*
results in terms of certain measures, such as
• 19 percent of college students ages 18–24
increasing media coverage and State policies enacted
met the criteria** for alcohol abuse or
as well as decreasing youth drinking and alcohol-
dependence.
related driving and fatal car crashes.
• 5 percent of these students sought treat­
ment for alcohol problems in the year
A third study found that a combination of envi­
preceding the survey.
ronmental strategies to reduce alcohol availability
and an increase in the availability of treatment low­
• 3 percent of these students thought they
ered alcohol-related traffic deaths by one-fifth over
should seek help but did not.
a 10-year period, relative to matched communities
These data underscore an important fact—that
in the same States (18).
while good individual treatment is available for
alcoholism, these programs often are not acces­
New Evidence for College-Specific Audiences
sible to a broad audience.
Since the original Task Force report was issued, several
studies have evaluated the community partnership
Moreover, the students who drink most heavily
approach specifically for college communities, with
are the least likely to seek treatment; yet they
encouraging results. One study examined how the
experience or are responsible for the greatest num­
campus and community environments can work
ber of alcohol-related problems on campus***.
together to prevent drinking and driving at two
SOURCE: * National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions
universities (19). This study was one of the first to
** From the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth
Edition (DSM–IV), American Psychiatric Association. *** Presley, C.A., and
test the usefulness of a multistrategy DUI (driving
Pimentel, E.R. The introduction of the heavy and frequent drinker: A proposed
classification to increase accuracy of alcohol assessments in postsecondary
educational settings. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 67:324–331, 2006. PMID:
Continued on page 6
16562416
“Decisions about alcohol consumption are not just individual;
they can affect the common life of the university.”
—Rev. Edward A. Malloy, President Emeritus, University of Notre Dame
5
Interventions continued from page 5
tuted more interventions had greater success, reducing
both alcohol-related problems, such as binge drink­
ing, and the secondhand effects of drinking, such as
under the influence) intervention within a campus
alcohol-related assaults (20).
community.
As more credible studies continue to show positive
The intervention included a social marketing cam­
outcomes associated with campus–community part­
paign, with prevention advertisements in the school
nerships, this strategy should increasingly be consid­
newspaper, ads posted in public areas on campus,
ered an essential component of any college drinking
and ads distributed as postcards. The message in the
prevention and intervention effort.
ads warned students that “Drinking Driving Laws Are
Strictly Enforced in the College Area.” These advertise­
ments were backed up by strong media coverage on
the local community stations and in the college paper.
DUI checkpoints were operated by the campus
police, with assistance from local city police and the
highway patrol. The results were promising. One of
the universities showed a “considerable drop”1 in the
students’ reports of driving after drinking (19).
Short of completely banning alcohol use on campus,
research shows that the best prevention programs
use multiple approaches. One such multicomponent
approach, the “A Matter of Degree” program (AMOD),
was launched in 1997 at 10 colleges in the United
States. AMOD focused on reducing alcohol availabil­
ity, raising prices, and limiting alcohol promotions
and advertising on and around campus.
Social Norms
Sites where this program was implemented saw
As described in the original Task Force report, the
improvements in two measures—the percentage of
social norms approach is based on the view that many
students missing class as a result of alcohol use and
college students think campus attitudes are much
the percentage of students driving after heavy alcohol
more permissive toward drinking than they really
use—compared with colleges that acted as control
are and believe other students drink much more than
sites. When researchers assessed the interventions
they actually do (21–23). The phenomenon of per­
more closely, they found that those sites which insti­
ceived social norms—or the belief that “everyone” is
1In this study, the odds ratio for driving after drinking in the experimental group was 1.00
pre-intervention vs. 0.55 post-intervention. The control campus was 0.67 pre-intervention
and 0.64 post-intervention.
Continued on page 7
“Carefully designed research on alcohol consumption among college
students can separate myth from fact and suggest promising
preventive strategies based on evidence and outcomes.”
—Ting-Kai Li, M.D., Director, NIAAA
6
Interventions continued from page 6
College Drinking—
drinking and drinking is acceptable—is one of the
strongest correlates of drinking among young adults
A Global Issue
and the subject of considerable research (24).
Heavy drinking
By and large, the approach most often used on
among college
campuses to change students’ perception of drink­
students is not
ing focuses on the use of social norms campaigns.
a phenomenon
These campaigns attempt to communicate the true
unique to the
rate of student alcohol use on campus, with the
United States.
assumption that as students’ misperceptions about
Other countries,
other students’ alcohol use are corrected, their own
particularly those in
levels of alcohol use will decrease.
Europe and South
America, as well as
Still Promising, but Results Are Mixed and
Australia and New Zealand, report problems
Questions Remain
with college drinking on par with those of
North America. Similar risk and protective
The social norms approach is popular. Nearly half
factors also have been found, with male gender,
of the 747 4-year residential colleges and universities
higher socioeconomic status, higher family
surveyed in a 2002 study reported having imple­
education, and excessive alcohol use by family
mented a social norms campaign (25). But are these
and/or peers leading to the greatest risk.
campaigns successful? Research is mixed. The biggest
Protective factors also were the same: Having
obstacle in evaluating the effectiveness of social
a belief in God, having faith practices, and
norms campaigns is the inconsistency that exists in
having family and/or peers with negative
the research methodology. For example, what consti­
attitudes toward excessive drinking were
tutes a social norms program or campaign is not
important in curbing harmful drinking.
always clearly defined, and the components of the
campaign often are not thoroughly evaluated (26).
SOURCE: Karam, E.; Kypri, K.; and Salamoun, M. Alcohol use among
college students: An international perspective. Current Opinion in Psychiatry
20:213–221, 2007. PMID: 17415072
According to the most rigorous analysis conducted
to date (26), social norms approaches work best
confirming that social norms campaigns work by
when combined with other interventions. They
may be least effective in schools where very high
changing the way students view alcohol use.
levels of drinking are found and those that are
Just as environmental approaches work best when
located in communities with high alcohol outlet
multiple interventions are used, social norms cam­
density. The more intense the social norms
campaign in terms of the percentage of students
paigns have demonstrated the most success when
exposed to its messages, the greater the effect on
they are teamed with other prevention efforts.
students’ alcohol consumption. In this study, the
largest reductions were found in the number of
More—and better-designed—studies are needed
drinks consumed per week and the number of
to determine how social norms campaigns can be
drinks consumed when students “party”—two
integrated into a full prevention strategy. Additional
messages that featured prominently in the study’s
research also is needed to determine how these
social norms campaign. The study also showed that
campaigns can be used to deemphasize the role of
students’ perceptions of what is normal drinking
alcohol in campus life and lower students’ positive
behavior influence the success of the campaign,
expectations about drinking.
7
Ongoing Research and Collaborative Efforts
Significant research has taken place in the years Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of
since the NIAAA Task Force report was issued,
Underage Drinking (ICCPUD). Chaired by the
but much remains to be done. It is important
Administrator of the Sub stance Abuse and Mental
to approach research in new ways—for example, to
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the
provide a fast track for studies to take advantage of
ICCPUD includes NIAAA; the Office of Juvenile
the opportunity to evaluate newly instituted programs
Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the
and to collaborate with other Government agencies
Department of Justice; the National Highway
to ensure that research on college drinking continues.
Traffic Safety Administration; the White House
Office of National Drug Control Policy; the Centers
NIAAA’s Rapid Response Program—In June 2003,
for Disease Control and Prevention; the Office of
NIAAA issued a special grant program—Rapid
the Surgeon General; the Administration for
Response to College Drinking Problems (PA num­
Children and Families; the Department of Defense;
ber PAR–03–133). That new PA provided a rapid
the Department of Education; the Federal Trade
funding mechanism for people conducting research
Commission; the Alcohol and Tobacco, Tax and
on interventions to prevent or reduce alcohol-related
Trade Bureau; and the Office of the Assistant
problems in college students, trimming the time
Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department
from submission to award to a matter of weeks. It
of Health and Human Services (HHS). The pur­
supported, in particular, interventions capitalizing
pose of the ICCPUD is to guide policy and pro­
on natural experiments (for example, unanticipated
gram development across the Federal Government
adverse events, policy changes, new media campaigns,
with respect to underage drinking.
or campus–community partnerships). The outcomes
of these research projects have been summarized in a
Surgeon General’s Call to Action—In an appeal to
number of articles, and more are expected. See the
change the culture and attitudes toward drinking in
NIAAA College Web site, www.collegedrinkingpre­
America, the Office of the Surgeon General issued a
vention.gov, for an updated list.
Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage
Drinking on March 6, 2007.
Intergovernmental Collaborative Approaches—
In addition to stepping up the funding opportuni­
Developed in collabora­
ties for studying college-age drinking, NIAAA
tion with NIAAA and
is addressing the broader problem in all youth
SAMHSA, the 94-page
under 21. The NIAAA Underage Drinking Research
Call to Action identifies
Initiative established a steering committee with
goals to reduce underage
experts in adolescent development, child health,
drinking.
brain imaging, genetics, neuroscience, prevention
research, and other research fields, as well as profes­
A Web site with fact
sionals with communications and public policy
sheets, resources, and
expertise. This committee continues to examine in
the complete Call to
depth the research-based knowledge we have now
Action is online at
and to advise NIAAA on this initiative.
www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/underagedrinking/.
To order hard copies, call the National Clearinghouse
NIAAA also has joined forces with other agencies
for Alcohol and Drug Information
through its participation in the Interagency
at 1–800–729–6686.
8
Tracking Students’ Drinking Patterns:
A New Perspective on College Drinking
We are learning more about patterns of associated with drinking. For some students, such as
drinking on campus. Most information
those who consistently drink heavily over the course
on college drinking comes from multi­
of the year, as shown in the figure, the best approach
year national surveys that focus on the overall preva­
might be to target prevention efforts continually in
lence of alcohol use on college campuses; however, in
an effort to reduce this ongoing drinking—although
a recent study, Greenbaum and colleagues (27) found such approaches are both time-consuming and
that alcohol consumption among freshmen students
resource intensive. Other drinking patterns, such as
varies considerably from week to week within a single
light drinking with increased consumption during
academic year, probably as a result of academic require­
holidays, suggest that efforts focused on reducing
ments and holidays. This study is unique for two rea­
drinking during high-risk time periods might be
sons: first, because it measured students’ weekly, rather more efficient and cost-effective (27).
than yearly, rate of alcohol consumption; and second,
because it followed the same individuals throughout
A Word on
the study. This allowed researchers to determine how
students’ drinking varied during the academic year
Alcohol Poisoning
and may help college administrators target students
Many tragic news stories
during high-risk drinking periods. The study was
have brought to light
relatively small, however, and applies to only one uni­
the problem of “alcohol
versity; it is not known if the precise patterns occur
poisoning” among college
at all colleges and universities or whether they will
students. This term is not
persist as these students progress through school.
always clearly understood;
it actually refers to a series of complex physiologi­
Week of
Spring Break
45
Light drinkers (n=134)
cal reactions to alcohol and the toxic byproducts
Light drinkers who drink heavily
40
during holidays (n=14)
Moderate drinkers who increased
that result when alcohol is metabolized by the
consumption over time (n=19)
Weeks of Christmas
35
Heavy drinkers who decreased
& New Year's
consumption over time (n=46)
30
body. Some of the signs that someone has
Consistent heavy drinkers (n=24) Week of
25
Thanksgiving
ingested toxic amounts of alcohol, which can
20
lead to alcohol poisoning, include:
Drinks per Week 15
10
• Mental confusion, stupor, coma, or the
5
0
person cannot be roused;
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
31
Week in the Academic Year
• Vomiting;
• Slow or irregular breathing;
In this study, the researchers saw an increase in con­
• Hypothermia or low body temperature,
sumption during time periods that corresponded to
bluish skin color, and paleness.
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, and Spring
Break. An increase in drinking also occurred at week
A person can have alcohol poisoning even if
3 (immediately after students arrived on campus),
he or she doesn’t show all of these signs. Left
though this increase was not as dramatic as those
untreated, alcohol poisoning can lead to per­
recorded later in the school year. Additionally, the study
manent brain damage or death.
shows that students are not all alike and, as suggested
SOURCE: Adinoff, B.; Bone, G.H.A.; and Linnoila, M. Acute ethanol poisoning
by the initial NIAAA Task Force findings, that multi­
and the ethanol withdrawal syndrome. Medical Technology 3:172–196, 1988.
PMID: 3041244
ple strategies are required to prevent the problems
9
Questions
Campus Leaders
Should Ask
1. What type of problem needs to be addressed (e.g., high rates of heavy drinking,
fights during sporting events, underage drinking)?
2. What strategy is most likely to address each problem?
3. At what level should the strategy be implemented (e.g., at sports stadiums,
campuswide, communitywide, Statewide)?
4. Who should participate in developing strategies? Who should participate at
the start and who should be brought in only after a supportive base for action
is established?
5. What strategies are currently being implemented?
6. How well are existing policies being enforced?
7. Would enforcement of existing policies be more effective than implementing
new policies?
8. How can environmental and individually focused approaches complement
each other?
9. What resources are needed to implement new strategies? Are resources
available?
10. How will new strategies be evaluated and fine-tuned to maximize their effect?
11. Are the students who need help most actually getting it? That is, are your
interventions reaching the students who need them the most?
12. Are your strategies founded on solid, research-based findings? And are those
strategies reaching the vast majority of your student population?
SOURCE: Material for this checklist originally appeared in Toomey, T.L., and Wagenaar, A.C. Environmental policies to reduce college
drinking: Options and research findings. Journal of Studies on Alcohol (Suppl.14):193–205, 2005, Updated January 2005 for NIAAA.
10
Keep an Eye on . . .
College drinking is a complex topic. Reducing harmful alcohol use among young
adults calls for innovative approaches. Perhaps some of the best ideas will draw on
new technology or new research approaches. It’s too early to tell if these approaches
will prove useful in real-world campus settings, but they represent some unique prospects
and are worth watching.
• Web-based training for resident advisors, counselors, and others in a position to help
students who are experiencing problems with alcohol.
• Computerized or Web-based screening for students, such as all entering freshmen, to identify
early on those students at risk for alcohol problems.
• Research that more effectively captures specific information about students’ patterns of
alcohol consumption—for example, asking students the actual numbers of drinks that
they consume, which would provide important information about the maximum levels
of consumption.
• Multicampus research initiatives that test promising practices.
• Increased tailoring of interventions particularly designed for women, freshmen, athletes,
and other specific groups within the school population.
• Social norms research, which continues to be a key focus, as evidenced by a
grant program recently instituted by the Department of Education, see also
http://www.ed.gov/programs/dvpcollege/fy06awards.html.
For more information, see NIAAA’s Web site
www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov
11
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NIH Publication No. 07–5010
Printed November 2007

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