In late 2003, administrators at Northeastern University, a private university located in Boston, Massachusetts, concerned over rising rates of alcohol-related emergency room transports, sexual assaults and campus security problems, commissioned MASI Research Consultants to conduct an evaluation of student substance abuse-related health and counseling services and recommend changes in the system. Within a week of MASI's report to the University administration, an alcohol-fueled riot primarily involving Northeastern students erupted on the outskirts of the campus following the New England Patriots' Superbowl victory. This incident resulted in one fatality, three student injuries, extensive community property damage and widespread public outcry - clearly illuminating the report's recommendations for expanded alcohol services for the Northeastern student body. ? ? This resubmission seeks to implement an innovative approach developed to address two objectives: 1) reduce the adverse health effects of student problem drinking at Northeastern University, and 2) reduce property damage and related security costs to the university and the surrounding community. This approach, the University Assistance Program, represents a novel intervention design, derived from well established Employee Assistance Program and Student Assistance Program technologies, and developed as part of a rapid response to the serious incidents impacting Northeastern in the past year. Additionally, this resubmission seeks to establish a relationship between Northeastern and established alcohol research scientists for the purpose of developing a primary prevention and early intervention program to reduce alcohol-related problems. ? ? The effects of these proposed activities will be measured by a two part research effort. Part One, designed to measure the overarching changes resulting from the application of the University Assistance Program, includes a quasi-experimental study and a longitudinal trend study with three different cohorts. ? ? Part Two utilizes a true-experimental and longitudinal research design to assess behavioral outcomes among students participating in the University Assistance Program. The research effort will employ the established, validated survey Core Alcohol and Drug Survey for students as well as a customized collection from secondary data sources. The utilization of the CORE as the primary data gathering instrument will allow comparisons of data from Northeastern to other colleges nationwide, and additionally, will contribute to the Core's national database. ? ?
| Reed, Elizabeth; Prado, Guillermo; Matsumoto, Atsushi et al. (2010) Alcohol and drug use and related consequences among gay, lesbian and bisexual college students: role of experiencing violence, feeling safe on campus, and perceived stress. Addict Behav 35:168-71 |
| Amaro, Hortensia; Ahl, Marilyn; Matsumoto, Atsushi et al. (2009) Trial of the university assistance program for alcohol use among mandated students. J Stud Alcohol Drugs Suppl :45-56 |
| Reed, Elizabeth; Amaro, Hortensia; Matsumoto, Atsushi et al. (2009) The relation between interpersonal violence and substance use among a sample of university students: examination of the role of victim and perpetrator substance use. Addict Behav 34:316-8 |
