To reach a greater number of students, University of Houston Professor of Psychology Clayton Neighbors is adapting the treatment into a telehealth format accessible on Zoom. He is supported in his work by a $3.2 million grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
According to the NIAAA, alcohol use is a significant public health problem among college students.
We expect to show that the program administered in a telehealth format by Zoom will work as well as in an in-person format and will be more cost-effective, said Neighbors. The significance of this research lies in the potential to maximize access to the highest standard of care by establishing support for easier access without sacrificing any central features of the traditional BASICS intervention.
The BASICS screening and intervention is delivered in an empathetic, nonconfrontational, and nonjudgmental manner and is aimed at revealing the discrepancy between the student's risky drinking behavior and his or her goals and values. The intervention is delivered by trained personnel proficient in motivational interviewing.
While it is the best treatment available, researchers report that the in-person delivery format of BASICS has presented barriers to wider implementation due to the time, effort and costs of traveling to and from sessions, the need for private meeting space, and the firmly fixed scheduling of intervention sessions.
Three hundred mandated and 300 volunteer students who report hazardous drinking will be recruited from the University of Houston and the University of Missouri and randomly assigned to a condition (in person BASICS, Tele-BASICS, or treatment as usual). Follow-up assessments will occur 1, 3, 6 and 12-months.
The project includes investigators from the University of Houston, the University of Southern California and the University of Missouri. At UH, Neighbors is partnering with Reuben Parrish, director of UH Wellness, to work with students who are found to be in violation of campus alcohol policies. They will also work with volunteer students who have experienced unwanted alcohol-related consequences.
Not only does Neighbors expect the telehealth service to be successful, but he also says it may be more successful among women, heavier drinkers, students without co-occurring substance use, and those with greater motivation.
Generally, women are more conscientious and will be more attentive in an online format than men. Heavier drinkers will be more invested in the information and will pay more attention in an online format than lighter drinkers. Students without co-occurring substance use will have less difficulty paying attention in an online format. Those with greater motivation will also be more attentive in an online format, said Neighbors.
About the University of Houston
The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter for excellence in undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city and one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse regions in the country, UH is a federally designated Hispanic- and Asian-American-Serving institution with enrollment of more than 47,000 students.
