Efficacy of expectancy challenge interventions to reduce college student drinking: A meta-analytic review.

Abstract

Interventions challenging alcohol expectancies may lead to reductions in alcohol consumption. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the efficacy of alcohol expectancy challenge (EC) interventions for college alcohol abuse prevention. Included were 14 studies (19 EC interventions) that measured alcohol expectancies and consumption, provided sufficient information to calculate effect sizes, and were available as of June 2010 (N = 1,415; M age = 20; 40% women; 88% White). Independent raters coded participant characteristics, design and methodological features, and intervention content, and calculated weighted mean effect sizes at first follow-up, using both fixed- and random-effects models. Compared to controls, EC participants reported lower positive alcohol expectancies, reduced their alcohol use, and reduced their frequency of heavy drinking (d+s ranged from 0.23 to 0.28). Within-group improvements in alcohol expectancies and consumption emerged for the EC group only; relative to their own baseline, EC participants reported lower positive alcohol expectancies, reduced their alcohol use, and reduced their frequency of heavy drinking (d+s range from 0.13 to 0.36). Supplemental analyses found improvements in specific alcohol expectancies (social, sexual, tension, and arousal) both between- and within-group. The short-term effects of EC interventions on college student drinking are not maintained at follow-ups greater than 4 weeks.

The Relative Contributions of Impulsivity Facets to Drinking Outcomes

“…The Expectancy Challenge paradigm has been shown to be useful for changing how individuals perceive alcohol use (ie, reducing its perceived value as a source of stimulation) and reducing their drinking. 36 who experience negative alcohol-related consequences may benefit from an intervention focused on managing strong emotions (ie, reducing negative urgency). For instance, combining traditional Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with Affect Regulation Training has shown promise in treating alcohol-dependent individuals.…”

National Analysis of Differences Among Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes: College Student and Nonstudent Emerging Adults

“…Much of the previous research on student populations is focused on alcohol and marijuana abuse. 25 College health practitioners can develop interventions with more attention on alcohol use and its consequences to further improve college student treatment success. Emphasis placed on employment status and student status in treatment may represent similar benefits in terms of goal setting (eg, support, purpose, meaning).…”

The relationship between cannabis outcome expectancies and cannabis refusal self‐efficacy in a treatment population

“…In alcohol dependence, treatments aimed at developing alcohol refusal skills are effective, with therapeutic effects being mediated by increased self-efficacy [59]. By contrast, direct alcohol expectancy challenges have shown only modest efficacy, at least in prevention studies [60]. Given the strong association between expectancies and refusal self-efficacy found for both alcohol and cannabis, future research needs to investigate if added benefit occurs by combining these two approaches.…”