Three experiments investigated the impact of anchors on students' estimates of personal alcohol consumption to better understand the role that this form of bias might have in social norm intervention programs. Experiments I and II found that estimates of consumption were susceptible to anchoring effects when an open-answer and a scale-response…

Intercept surveys were conducted with 149 college students each asked to record their alcohol consumption for the previous two weeks using the Timeline Follow-back (TLFB method). Immediately following completion of the pretest TLFB alcohol survey the students were presented with brief educational information defining what constitutes one standard…

There is an established body of research on the effectiveness of comprehensive substance abuse prevention strategies in higher education. There is relatively little research, however, on the characteristics and job functions of prevention professionals and their effectiveness. This study was designed to examine the characteristics of professionals…

Surveys college students (N=119) to examine psychosocial predictors of interventions to prevent drunk driving. Results show that the level of comparative impairment between the intervenor and the drunk driver, the sense of moral/social obligation to intervene, and the number of people consulted about the intervention significantly predicted…

Examines the effects of a Peer Norms Correction (PNC) procedure on college students' perceptions of campus drinking and their actual drinking behavior. Results suggest that PNC may be useful in correcting misperceptions about the norms for alcohol use but not for decreasing heavy drinking among college students. (Contains 28 references and 2…

This retrospective study examined long-term effects of Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) by assessing substance use among undergraduates. Results from a multiple discriminant analysis found that after accounting for effects of age, there were no substantial group differences in substance use. These findings add to a growing literature that…

Survey of residence hall staff (RHS) reports estimates of student substance abuse and related problems, level of knowledge about these drugs, frequency of problems experienced and interventions employed, and the degree of confidence in utilizing specific intervention skills. Results indicate that RHS see their role as a combination of counselor…

Research assessed 44 students' levels of self-esteem and then measured their actual levels of intoxication with a breathalyzer as they were leaving a fraternity party. Participants with lower levels of self-esteem exited the party with a mean Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .126, while those with higher levels of self-esteem exited with a…

Studies the relationship of sensation-seeking to alcohol use and risk-taking behavior in a sample of college women. Risk-taking behavior measured in a driving simulation task was affected by state of intoxication. Results indicate that the personality trait of sensation-seeking appears to play an important mediating role in alcohol use and…

Examines the relationship between episodes of binge drinking by undergraduates (N=592) and the extent to which students saw decisions about alcohol use as involving five domains of sociomoral reasoning. Results indicate that undergraduates who abused alcohol the most used their thinking skills in an immature manner that emphasized personal choice…

Examines the link between self-consciousness and alcohol use in 543 male and female university students. Results indicate that the female severe drinkers had significantly higher scores on public self-consciousness than both male moderate and severe drinkers. Male severe drinkers also had significantly higher scores on private self-consciousness…

Examines the impact of a recently adopted alcohol prohibition policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) on student drinking and binge drinking behaviors. Although survey (N=303) results indicate that students living in areas impacted by the alcohol policy are less likely to consume alcohol, RIT's alcohol policy appears to have no…

Students (N=1919) at a commuter university responded to a questionnaire that assessed alcohol consumption issues and safer sex behaviors. Alcohol consumption prior to sexual activity was associated with number of sexual partners and frequency of sexual activity. No significant association between condom use and alcohol consumption prior to sexual…

Explores whether student teachers who report suicide ideation and suicide attempts also report higher levels of substance use. Three hundred and sixty-nine student teachers completed the Student Teacher Drug Use Survey. Results show more drug use in student teachers who had attempted suicide. Discusses implications for teacher education.…

This study uses 312 college students cited for under-aged drinking to replicate and validate the College Alcohol Problem Scale (CAPS). Findings demonstrate close replication in factor structure and internal consistency ratings. Subscale factors were covalidated with a measure of heavy/peak drinking. Discusses suggestions for utilizing CAPS in…