How can practicing psychologists help reduce excessive alcohol consumption among college students? Over 80% of college students consume alcohol, and a significant percentage drinks excessively with myriad problems. Brief interventions based on motivational interviewing (MI) have been identified for use with college populations. The authors randomly assigned 91 freshman students to a brief, classroombased MI intervention or an assessment control condition. At the end of the semester, MI group participants reported fewer drinks per occasion and fewer episodes of intoxication compared to controls. A classroom-based, MI-style intervention might be an efficient, sustainable, and effective means of reducing heavy drinking among college students.
The authors describe an approach for intervening with college students who present for self-referred or mandated treatment for alcohol or other drug issues. The authors offer a conceptual framework for working with such clients that is influenced by the evidence-based motivational interviewing literature and the evidence-based common factors approach to psychotherapy in general. Implications for practice are elaborated on and exemplified through a case study that includes motivational interviewing's guiding principles.
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