Cronce and Larimer, from the University of Washington, offer a review of the efficacy of individually-focused interventions to prevent risky drinking and associated negative consequences among college students. Title Individual-focused approaches to the prevention of college student drinking Abstract Alcohol consumption is prevalent among college students and can become problematic for some. Numerous randomized controlled trials have evaluated the efficacy [...]
Using a general population sample from New York City, these researchers estimated the separate and combined effects of alcohol outlet density and perceived social norms on alcohol use disorder, controlling for confounding factors. Title The roles of outlet density and norms in alcohol use disorder Abstract Background. Alcohol outlet density and norms shape alcohol consumption. [...]
Unplugged is "an effective school-based program for the prevention of substance use among adolescents" implemented in several European countries and containing a social norms component. We give you the Preface to "Eudap Final Technical Report n.1." Preface EU-Dap, the European Drug Addiction Prevention trial, is a multicenter study implemented by nine partners from seven different European [...]
Another presentation at the 2015 annual APHA meeting in Chicago in early November: Background: Marijuana use has increased among college students over the past decade. Of particular concern are students’ perceived social norms that encourage its use. The study examines trends in individual characteristics, perceived peer behavior, perceived risk, campus environment, and campus policies related [...]
From the social norms research group at the University of Houston, a publication demonstrating the efficacy of a brief online intervention with at-risk gambling college students. Abstract: Objective: Social influences on gambling among adolescents and adults have been well documented and may be particularly evident among college students, who have higher rates of problem and [...]
An interesting study on the most effective way to present normative information: Abstract: People's evaluations in the domain of healthy eating are at least partly determined by the choice context. We systematically test reference level and rank-based models of relative comparisons against each other and explore their application to social norms nudging, an intervention that aims [...]
Here's a summary of an interesting presentation slated for November 1, 2015, at the 143rd annual meeting of the American Public Health Association in Chicago: Background: Hispanic adolescents are at increased risk for alcohol use and binge drinking. Research is needed to more thoroughly understand the variables involved with such high rates of alcohol use. The present [...]
Our colleagues at "The Well" at Virginia Commonwealth University recently found an interesting way to capture students' opinion of the Stall Seat Journals (SSJ) that are a core part of the social norms intervention program there: Linda Hancock, PhD, CFNP, RN, Director of the Well, describes what she did: "I just gave out 3x5 cards [...]
From our colleagues "across the pond" comes this request for help with their exploratory research into social norms and "digital addiction": Dear colleagues, We are currently undertaking work in social norms aspects of digital addiction, lead by my colleague Dr Raian Ali. As part of this work we are conducting some exploratory studies, if you [...]
This interesting small experiment randomly assigned 101 U.K. college students with excessive drinking to one of four conditions. In each condition, the students received one message a week for four weeks. The messages varied by condition: official alcohol consumption guidelines how their consumption compared to official guidelines how their consumption compared to the sample mean where their [...]
