Peer‐led interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in college students: A scoping review

Abstract

Risky alcohol consumption among college students is a significant public health issue. In the college setting, students can collaborate in the implementation of peer‐led interventions. To date, evidence of peer‐led programmes in reducing harmful alcohol consumption in this population is inconclusive. The aim of the current scoping review is to provide a broad overview by systematically examining and mapping the literature on peer‐led interventions for preventing risky alcohol consumption by college students. The specific aims were to (1) identify the underlying focus of the interventions and assess their (2) effectiveness and (3) feasibility. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, DART‐Europe, RCAAP, Trove and ProQuest. The inclusion criteria were peer‐led interventions that exclusively addressed alcohol consumption, college students as the target population and interventional studies (randomised controlled trials, quasi‐experimental studies, systematic reviews and meta‐analyses of interventions). The methodological quality of the articles was evaluated. From 6654 potential studies, 13 were included. Nine interventions were described within these studies: Voice of Reason programme, Brief Advice sessions, Peer Theatre, Alcohol Education programme, Perceptions of Alcohol Norms intervention, Motivational Intervention, Alcohol Skills Training programme, Lifestyle Management Class and the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students. Only the last showed significant reductions in three of the four outcome measures: quantity and frequency of drinking, estimated peak blood alcohol concentration and alcohol‐related consequences. It did not significantly decrease the number of heavy‐drinking episodes. Peer interventions may be effective in preventing alcohol use among college students, although the evidence is weak and scarce. Further research is needed to strengthen the findings about peer‐led interventions.

The Effectiveness of Universal Educational Interventions for Prevention of Illicit Drug Use among University Students: A Systematic Review

“…However, the results of drug use and smoking were contradictory ( 7 ). Lavilla-Garcia et al ( 32 ) conducted a scoping review to evaluate peer-to-peer interventions to reduce alcohol consumption among college students and found that such interventions could prevent consumption. However, the findings of this study were inconsistent with the results of a study by Moreira ( 33 ) that assessed social norms interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in university students and found non-significant results.…”

Peer‐led alcohol intervention for college students: A pilot randomized controlled trial

“…According to the NIAAA (2018), this type of program has widely demonstrated efficacy in modifying alcohol consumption in this group. As suggested by Lavilla‐Gracia et al (2022), university students lack the motivation to modify their own alcohol consumption due to their assumptions about its effects, such as the pleasant effects of alcohol consumption and its influence on socializing. Third, peer counselors established a helping relationship with the participants.…”

“…The Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) program incorporates all of these components and thus may be the most suitable intervention (Dimeff et al, 1999). Several reviews and meta‐analyses have demonstrated the potential efficacy of this individual‐focused intervention (Hennessy et al, 2019; Larimer et al, 2022; Lavilla‐Gracia et al, 2022) specifically designed for college students. It considers students' lack of knowledge and skills required to reduce alcohol consumption and their need for motivation to change their intake because of social‐contextual factors.…”

“…Research in the U.S. shows that when BASICS is implemented by peer counselors, it is, in some cases, as effective as by nonpeers in reducing/preventing heavy drinking and drinking initiation or escalation (Larimer et al, 2022). Nevertheless, a recent literature review (Lavilla‐Gracia et al, 2022) shows that evidence for the efficacy of peer‐led BASICS is scarce, and there are no data on this program or other peer‐led interventions in the Spanish context.…”

The PEERCARE peer led programme for college students: A qualitative evaluation of a “chill-out” harm reduction space

“…However, scientific studies evaluating peer-led interventions to prevent alcohol consumption among young people are scarce (MacArthur et al, 2016). In their recent overview, Lavilla-Gracia et al (2022) (CIRDDB, 2012) has a prevention module that is conducted by trained students who go out to meet other young people at night in public spaces, as well as a harm reduction module that is conducted by professionals, peer intervention is limited to raising awareness in public spaces before student parties. Currently, professionals conduct risk and harm reduction actions during parties, probably because of the public context in which the parties take place.…”