Many college students drink excessively because they believe "everyone" is doing it. But when they find out that most students do not binge drink and the heavy drinkers are in the minority, they will reduce their own harmful drinking. When they discover that their behavior is not "normal" they modify their behavior.But how they receive this feedback can also make a difference in how students respond.
A lot of research shows that students tend to overestimate the amount of alcohol their peers drink. Therefore they think their own heavy drinking is "normal" behavior.
A study of 7,275 college students found that students who were given personal feedback either face-to-face or via the Internet about how much their peers actually consumed drank less often and indulged in less binge drinking that those who did not receive the information.
The web-based feedback also resulted in significant reductions in blood alcohol content and alcohol-related problems among students who received such feedback.
Web-Based Interventions Cost-Effective
"We know that social norms have a powerful impact on thought and behavior, so changing people's perceptions about what is normal can really help. Most of the effects lasted for a few months, but some lasted over a year, particularly for the web-based feedback," said lead researcher Maria Teresa Moreira, from the School of Health and Social Care at Oxford Brookes University in the UK, in a news release.
The researchers also found that group counseling and feedback sent through the mail were found to be less effective that the face-to-face and internet feedback.
"We can't make direct comparisons between the different interventions, but based on a small number of studies web-based interventions would certainly seem to be a cost-effective option for reducing alcohol misuse," said Moreira.
News Source: Student Drinking: Changing Perceptions Reduces Alcohol Misuse
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Peer pressure, including the assumption of what “everyone else” is doing, does continue after high school.
I’m curious what the results would be if studies like this also included letting students know the WHYs of binge drinking or alcoholism. It’s one thing to think someone is just “the life of the party”, presuming she/he knows how to have fun and that’s that. It’s another thing if people better understood the correlation between over-indulging in alcohol and the WHY of it, such as personal problems, family history, depression, anxiety and other reasons.
I think students need to be more educated on the dangers. Also, to have fun events and “cool” places for teens to hang out.
Alchohol is `accepable` among adults, it is considered legal due to its long history .Ciggarettes are legal also due to this.With the knowledge of available facts and statistics these days, due to experience, is it not warranted to now illegalise these drugs of high addiction to save future generations becomming ill.If one cannot choose a pill of choice(even euthanasia pills) to alleviate pain or suffering , which* may harm them or may assist them…, why are cigarettes and Alchohol `permitted ` .Is it still due to the stigma the stereotyping, or are the Males who make the majority of the laws and decisions not Brave enough to battle for this truth in litigation.Are they not prepared to part with their own vices of `a false sense of security`.Or is it money involved Yet again.Heres to law Reform and illegalisation of Both alchohol and Tobacco and/ or freedom of choice regarding pain and suffering.*If someone is *allergic to pain killers yet is terminal, I for one,( after witnessing my mothers Brain Tumor pain for 17 years) am alll For legalising Euthanasia RIGHTS
The reason young people binge drink is beacause they see the sheer hyocrisy in society, be safe stay healthy etc then they see laws contradicting this.There are always other contributing factors but as with a child if you confuse it it shall be harder to control/train and guide.If one is `consistent with safety stability routine it shall be easier to control guide and raise without diversion without confusion a more direct approach a common sense approach.Lying shall never raise a well grounded person .Heres to Honesty integrity Trust and Law Reform assisting the above!Heres to a future of Healthy centred children who know good values and have less Fear.