Western Washington University

"Beyond Mass Marketing"

Project Description

Western Washington is a comprehensive liberal arts university with approximately 11,000 students. In 1997, WWU's Office of Prevention and Wellness Services attempted to develop and assess additional delivery strategies for a social norm intervention targeted at heavy episodic drinkers and community stakeholders.

Project Objectives

To decrease the frequency and consumption among heavy, episodic drinkers, and to correct the misperception of community stakeholders regarding the normative drinking behaviors of college students.

Primary Social Norm Message

"Most (84%) of Western students drink 0,1,2,3 or at most 4 drinks when they party."

Marketing Methods Employed

With identified heavy episodic drinkers: individual and small group motivational interviewing and stages of feedback.

With community stakeholders: focused in-the-mail social norms messages.

Evaluation

With heavy episodic drinkers: Pre/post test self-report surveys.

With community stakeholders: interviews and focus groups.

Project Results

With heavy episodic drinkers: Comparing intake and follow-up survey results, there were significant (p is lesser than .05) decreases in:
  • Negative consequences: Average negative consequences dropped from 16 occurrences over the last six months to 4.6 occurrences
  • Frequency of alcohol use: from once a week or more to less than once a week
  • Hours spent drinking: average reduction of 1/2 hour of drinking per drinking occasion
  • Typical quantity: Average typical consumption dropped by 1 drink
  • Peak quantity: Average peak consumption dropped by 1.5 drinks
  • Perceptions: There was an 11% increase in accuracy of perception of normative drinking among WWU students
With community stakeholders:
  • Stakeholder interviews and focus groups, articles appearing in the community newspapers, articles appearing in the campus newspapers indicate a shift in attitudes toward college students. Stakeholders report a change in viewpoint on (a) how college students spend leisure time; (b) the importance of academics in the lives of students; (c) the role of volunteer service in the lives of students; (d) alcohol and drug use among college students

Project Director

Patricia M. Fabiano
Prevention and Wellness Service
Western Washington University
Old Main 560A - Mail Stop 9039
Bellingham, WA 98225
Email: [email protected]

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