A multisite randomized trial of normative feedback for heavy drinking: Social comparison versus social comparison plus correction of normative misperceptions.

Abstract

Objective Given widespread alcohol misuse among college students, numerous intervention programs have been developed, including personalized normative feedback (PNF). Most research evaluating PNF assumes that presenting one's own perceived norms is necessary to correct normative misperceptions and thereby reduce drinking. Alternatively, simply providing social comparison information showing that one drinks more than others may be sufficient. The present study evaluated the efficacy of full PNF (one's own drinking, campus drinking rates, and perceived norms) and a partial personalized social comparison feedback (PSCF; one's own drinking and campus drinking rates) in a randomized trial among heavy-drinking college students. Method Participants included 623 heavy-drinking students from three universities. Assessments occurred at baseline and three- and six-months post-baseline. Results Primary analyses examined differences across four drinking outcomes (drinks per week, total drinks past month, frequency of past month drinking, and negative alcohol-related consequences) at three- and six-month follow-ups controlling for the baseline variable. Results revealed significant reductions across all alcohol consumption outcomes at three months in both intervention conditions compared to attention-control. Mediation analyses demonstrated significant indirect effects of the intervention on six-month drinking through changes in perceived norms at three months. Moreover, evidence emerged for changes in drinking at three months as a mediator of the association between PSCF and six-month perceived norms. Conclusions The present research suggests PNF may not require explicit consideration of one's perceived norms in order to be effective and that direct social comparison provides an alternative theoretical mechanism for PNF efficacy.

Prototype Willingness Model Drinking Cognitions Mediate Personalized Normative Feedback Efficacy

“…Because intervention content was similar and we did not have differing hypotheses based on intervention condition, for the purpose of the present study, we examined all intervention conditions in comparison to the attention control condition. Further, because Neighbors et al (2016) demonstrated the impact of PNF intervention on drinking was not present at the 6-month follow-up, participants were included in the present analysis if they completed baseline and the 3-month follow-up assessment (91.3%). Additional procedural details and individual intervention outcomes on drinking behavior are available in Neighbors et al (2016).…”

“…For example, college students may consider how favorable they view the typical student who drinks (i.e., how attractive, smart, mature they consider the typical student who drinks to be) or college students may consider how willing they are to drink alcohol if given the opportunity based on exposure to normative information. Based on the content of the PNF intervention (i.e., descriptive normative comparisons) and that perceived descriptive norms have been shown to be reduced by the intervention (Neighbors et al 2016), it is logical to focus on other social cognitions that may be influenced by PNF content. The prototype willingness model (PWM; Gibbons et al 2003; Gerrard et al 2008; see Fig.…”

“…Specifically, we expected the PNF interventions to be associated with increased prototype favorability of students who do not drink (abstainer prototypes) which was in turn expected to be associated with decreased willingness to drink and less drinking over time. Neighbors and colleagues (2016) examined the impact of two PNF interventions on college student drinking. The present study conducts secondary data analyses to examine abstainer prototype favorability and willingness to drink as sequential mediators of PNF intervention efficacy.…”

Cross-cultural examination of college drinking culture in Spain, Argentina, and USA: Measurement invariance testing of the College Life Alcohol Salience Scale

“…Despite the ubiquity of norm-based interventions, these interventions have largely focused on descriptive norms (Neighbors et al, 2016) and to a lesser extent injunctive norms (Prince et al, 2014). Although there is a plethora of intervention strategies that could be employed to target college students' perceptions that drinking is an integral part of the college experience, to our knowledge, these normative perceptions have not been directly targeted in any college student alcohol intervention.…”

Addictive Behavior Interventions Among College Students

“…Thus, researchers have begun to build on this success by examining different aspects of the treatment. For example, Neighbors and colleagues conducted a RCT to determine whether correcting norms about drinking is necessary to decrease alcohol consumption, or whether showing students that they drink more than other students is sufficient [26]. Heavy-drinking students were assigned to a typical PNF treatment, personalized social comparison feedback treatment (PSCF; one’s own drinking rates and campus drinking rates), or an attention-control, all delivered on a computer in the lab.…”