Alcohol use by college students continues to be a significant concern for the health and well being of both Students and communities. While research with college students generally supports the use of cognitive behavioral and motivational interventions in reducing drinking quantities and consequences, research with mandated students (students referred for an intervention following violation of a campus alcohol policy) continues to produce mixed results. As mandated students are clearly a liability-management, risk- management, and health and safety concern on college campuses, it is imperative that researchers identify supported interventions with demonstrated effectiveness while maximizing limited campus resources. The current proposal will compare Alcohol Skills Training Program (ASTP) groups, Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) feedback sessions, and Alcohol Diversion Program (ADP) treatment-as-usual education groups in a large sample (N = 300) of mandated college students randomly assigned into intervention and wait-list control groups. The primary aim of the proposed research is to investigate the effectiveness of interventions for mandated students while considering the impact of treatment delay and putative mediators and moderators of outcome. Practically, this research will inform decisions at higher education facilities working with mandated students. This research explores time-limited and cost-effective alternatives to maximize outcomes while reducing the burden on campus and community resources. Further, examining individual factors will inform sanctioning guidelines by identifying which interventions are most effective for which students. This proposal will also provide a promising clinical researcher the opportunity to strengthen her scientist-practitioner foundation through ethical, methodological, and clinical training and development while pursing a doctoral degree. The current project is relevant to the mission of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NI/AA) as it proposes conducting rigorous collaborative research in alcohol treatment with a high-risk population. Further, this proposal will include training in and implementation of NIAAA-defined Tier 1 interventions at the collaborating university, while facilitating the professional development, clinical expertise, and dissemination skills of an early-career alcohol researcher.
