Brief Intervention in College Settings

It is well established that college students have high rates of alcohol use and misuse and suffer the negative consequences of this behavior. Research evaluating the results of brief interventions with high-risk college students has shown these approaches to be successful in reducing alcohol consumption and/or related consequences. Several screening tools have been developed to detect the presence of problematic alcohol use and associated disorders, and some are designed specifically for use in a college student population. College campuses offer several opportunities to implement screening and interventions, including universal or large-scale assessments; health services, counseling centers, or local emergency rooms; or via established judicial or grievance systems set up to deal with students who violate campus alcohol policies. Issues to consider when implementing screening and brief interventions in college populations include who should deliver the interventions—peer or professional counselors—and how students should be encouraged to participate in the interventions. Regardless of how the measures are implemented, the content and process of the brief interventions should be based on the available scientific evidence regarding established efficacious interventions.