The broad, long-term objective of this research is to reduce the prevalence of marijuana use and related harm during the transition to university, through the development of efficacious prevention and intervention techniques for first-year college students. Marijuana use is the most commonly used illicit substance among college students, with up to 35% of students reporting use within the past year. The primary aim of the current project is to document the efficacy of an internet-based personalized normative feedback (PNF) intervention, compared to an assessment-only condition, in preventing marijuana initiation among never using first-year college students and in reducing use and related negative consequences of currently using students. A secondary aim is to evaluate several potential moderators and mediators of intervention efficacy (e.g., readiness to change, psychiatric symptoms, alcohol consumption, and demographic variables).
The specific aims of this research will be accomplished in three phases. Phase 1 will consist of a measure development component. Phase 2 will be to develop the PNF intervention for marijuana use adapted from a protocol previously used for reducing high-risk drinking. Phase 3 will employ a longitudinal design to evaluate the efficacy of the internet-based PNF program for two groups of incoming college-freshmen: marijuana nonusers (n=300) and marijuana users (n=300), identified through brief screening of a random sample of UW incoming freshmen (N=2670) and based on lifetime and past-year use. Students in each group, user and non-user, will be randomized into an intervention group or an assessment-only control group. Students in the intervention groups will immediately receive PNF upon completion of the baseline survey. All students will be assessed 3-, 6-and 9-months post-baseline. This research will fill important knowledge gaps regarding the use of normative feedback in preventing and reducing marijuana use and will serve as a prototype for implementing low-cost internet based personalized normative feedback interventions.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
5R21DA019257-02
Application #
6952696
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-HOP-B (50))
Program Officer
Crump, Aria
Project Start
2004-09-27
Project End
2008-07-31
Budget Start
2005-08-01
Budget End
2008-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$189,500
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Washington
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
605799469
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195
Steers, Mai-Ly N; Neighbors, Clayton; Hove, M Christina et al. (2015) How Harmonious and Obsessive Passion for Alcohol and Marijuana Relate to Consumption and Negative Consequences. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 76:749-57
Patrick, Megan E; Maggs, Jennifer L; Cooper, M Lynne et al. (2011) Measurement of motivations for and against sexual behavior. Assessment 18:502-16
Lee, Christine M; Neighbors, Clayton; Kilmer, Jason R et al. (2010) A brief, web-based personalized feedback selective intervention for college student marijuana use: a randomized clinical trial. Psychol Addict Behav 24:265-73
Patrick, Megan E; Lee, Christine M (2010) Sexual motivations and engagement in sexual behavior during the transition to college. Arch Sex Behav 39:674-81
Lee, Christine M; Neighbors, Clayton; Hendershot, Christian S et al. (2009) Development and preliminary validation of a comprehensive marijuana motives questionnaire. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 70:279-87
Lee, Christine M; Neighbors, Clayton; Woods, Briana A (2007) Marijuana motives: young adults'reasons for using marijuana. Addict Behav 32:1384-94
Grossbard, Joel R; Lee, Christine M; Neighbors, Clayton et al. (2007) Alcohol and risky sex in athletes and nonathletes: what roles do sex motives play? J Stud Alcohol Drugs 68:566-74
Kilmer, Jason R; Hunt, Scott B; Lee, Christine M et al. (2007) Marijuana use, risk perception, and consequences: is perceived risk congruent with reality? Addict Behav 32:3026-33
Kilmer, Jason R; Walker, Denise D; Lee, Christine M et al. (2006) Misperceptions of college student marijuana use: implications for prevention. J Stud Alcohol 67:277-81