PARENTS OF TEENS:
Effective College Strategies
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Colleges and universities can help curb underage drinking and alcohol abuse on and around their campuses by taking the following steps.11
Screening and Counseling Students
Any student visiting the campus health services center should be screened for alcohol abuse.15 Students can also be screened through online surveys and other suitable tools.11
Those found abusing alcohol—and all students at high risk, such as athletes and members of fraternities and sororities15—need to be given in-person counseling about2,3,7,11,14
- How alcohol can sabotage their academic and career success.
- Handling social situations where alcohol is freely available.
- How—if they are over 21—to monitor and limit their own drinking and to not promote underage drinking.
Female students also benefit from motivational training groups that help women deal with social pressures.9
Educating Students About Alcohol Rules and Enforcement
School administrators need to understand how state drinking laws apply to their campuses.1 They should use college media outlets, such as school television channels, websites, newspapers, and billboards, to educate the entire student body about11,17
- Myths and realities of alcohol use
- Police enforcement of underage drinking laws
- Consequences for students caught drinking
Proactive campuses also educate students and enforce rules about drinking in dormitories, at parties, and at school athletic events.12
Expanding Neighborhood Accountability
Together with surrounding communities, colleges and universities can take steps such as
- Educating students about being good neighbors.11,13
- Establishing neighborhood-based conflict resolution programs.11,13
- Publicizing and increasing patrols of disruptive off-campus parties.11,13
- Controlling the number of bars near campus.12
Curbing “Greek” Parties
Parties run by Greek-lettered campus organizations often involve drinking games and heavy alcohol consumption.16 Pro-active colleges can cut down on student drinking by
- Training fraternity and sorority members about responsible hosting.12
- Requiring ID checks to prevent underage drinking at parties.12
- Offering brief interventions and peer-to-peer counseling for members.4,10
- Introducing behavioral reinforcements and incentives that reduce alcohol consumption.6,8
Learn about:
- What College Campuses Can Do To Prevent Heavy Drinking
- Underage drinking laws in your state
- How communities are affected by underage drinking
- Preparing your teen for college
CLICK HERE FOR REFERENCES
1. Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS), a project of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. State profiles. Read more
2. Barnett, N.P.; Tevyaw, T.O.; Fromme, K.; et al. “Brief alcohol interventions with mandated or adjudicated college students.” Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 28:966–976, 2004.
3. Borsari, B., and Carey, K.B. “Two brief alcohol interventions for mandated college students.” Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 19:296–302, 2005.
4. Caudill BD, Luckey B, Crosse SB, Blane HT, Ginexi EM, Campbell B. “Alcohol risk-reduction skills training in a national fraternity: a randomized intervention trial with longitudinal intent-to-treat analysis.” J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2007 May;68(3):399-409.
5. DiClemente, Ralph J. et al “Parental Monitoring: Association With Adolescents' Risk Behaviors” Pediatrics 107: 6 June 2001, 1363-1368 Read more
6. Fournier AK, Ehrhart IJ, Glindemann KE, Geller ES. “Intervening to decrease alcohol abuse at university parties: differential reinforcement of intoxication level.” Behav Modif. 2004 Mar;28(2):167-81.
7. Fromme, K., and Corbin, W. “Prevention of heavy drinking and associated negative consequences among mandated and voluntary college students.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 72:1038–1049, 2004.
8. Glindemann KE, Ehrhart IJ, Drake EA, Geller ES. “Reducing excessive alcohol consumption at university fraternity parties: a cost-effective incentive/reward intervention.” Addict Behav. 2007 Jan;32(1):39-48.
9. LaBrie, Joseph W. et al. “Preventing Risky Drinking in First-Year College Women: Further Validation of a Female-Specific Motivational-Enhancement Group Intervention” J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, Supplement No. 16: 77-85, 2009 Read more
10. Larimer ME, Turner AP, Anderson BK, Fader JS, Kilmer JR, Palmer RS, Cronce JM “Evaluating a brief alcohol intervention with fraternities.” J Stud Alcohol. 2001 May;62(3):370-80.
11. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism “What Colleges Need to Know Now: An Update on College Drinking Research” (2007) Read more
12. Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. “Facts and Myths About College Drinking: A Serious Problem with Serious Solutions.” Read more
13. Saltz, Robert F., et al “Evaluating a Comprehensive Campus-Community Prevention Intervention to Reduce Alcohol-Related Problems in a College Population” J. Stud Alcohol Drugs, Supplement No. 16: 21-27, 2009 Read more
14. Schaus, James F. et al. “Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention in a College Student Health Center: A Randomized Controlled Trial” J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, Supplement No. 16, 131-141, 2009 Read more
15. Schaus, James F. et al. “Screening for High-Risk Drinking in a College Student Health Center: Characterizing Students Based on Quantity, Frequency, and Harms” J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, Supplement No. 16, 34-44, 2009 Read more
16. Turrisi R, Mallett KA, Mastroleo NR, Larimer ME. “Heavy drinking in college students: who is at risk and what is being done about it?” J Gen Psychol. 2006 Oct;133(4):401-20.
17. Wood, Mark D. et al. “Common Ground: An Investigation of Environmental Management Alcohol Prevention Initiatives in a College Community” J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, Supplement No. 16: 96-105, 2009 Read more
