The overall goal of this study is to develop an effective, individually tailored, computer automated, Internet ready, theory-driven, stage-matched, selective intervention called DriveStraight.com to provide individualized feedback about impaired driving and alcohol use behaviors to college students. The theoretical foundation of this intervention is based on motivational interviewing and the transtheoretical model of change.
The specific aims are: 1) Develop and pilot test DriveStraight.com structured around an existing, reliable, paper and pencil, time line follow-back impaired driving assessment; 2) Test the efficacy of DriveStraight.com through a randomized controlled study comparing a computerized impaired driving assessment-plus-a stage matched change intervention (experimental condition) to the same computerized impaired driving assessment-plus-a drinking and driving pamphlet (comparison condition) with high risk college students at 1-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up points on primary impaired driving and alcohol use outcomes. It is hypothesized that the experimental condition will result in reduced drinking and driving and alcohol use outcomes. The significance of this project is three fold: 1) it addresses gaps in impaired prevention literature; 2) computer-driven, automated interventions like this represent the prototypical integration of the intensive (individual) and public health (environmental) models; and 3) DriveStraight.com has the potential to reduce many of the negative consequences associated with impaired driving and alcohol use among thousands of college students across the country.
