Female Anti-Problem Drinking Group & Campus Initiatives

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In early February, 2004, Loyola Marymount University awakened to a nearly disastrous hazing incident involving the women's lacrosse team. The campus galvanized quickly to address the troubling trend of alcohol poisoning and problem drinking among women. The current project, WISE UP, intervenes with women at risk for negative consequences resulting from drinking while, at the same time, raising awareness and improving campus life through a nested series of initiatives. At the core of WISE UP is a 2-session peer led motivational enhancement group intervention with freshmen women that attempts to instill responsible drinking habits. The intervention employs current research, using Motivational Interviewing and focus group technology, as well as gender-specific reasons for drinking and women's differential response to discussion-oriented, non-threatening, and peer-led interventions. Groups include assessment of past drinking followed by discussion of pros and cons for reducing drinking, reasons for drinking and expectancies, and gender-specific alcohol-related health issues. Participants monitor drinking and drinking-related incidents through daily diaries over 3 months and receive booster sessions. Women who are treated for alcohol poisoning and women receiving alcohol-related sanctions will also participate in separate WISE UP Judicial Offenders groups. The group interventions are nested in a series of initiatives that involve the President of LMU, EMT ride-alongs, an on-campus poster campaign, group norms programs with campus organizations utilizing online technology, monthly alcohol-related programs with faculty/staff, and on-going alcohol and women's health programs for students. It is hypothesized that students attending WISE UP groups will report fewer alcohol-related problems, decreased incidence of alcohol poisoning, lower judicial sanctions, and recidivism. Campus awareness will increase and campus culture will be changed. Evaluation/analysis plan is included.