Abstract

One recent response to the problem of heavy drinking in college students is the development of online interventions such as electronic screening and brief interventions (e-SBI), characterized by personalized feedback that provide information about, for example, the amount of alcohol consumed in a single occasion. Most interventions do not consider drinking motives. The aim of the study is to test whether an online prevention program characterized by screening and a brief intervention based on a personalized motivational profile, can be useful in reducing alcohol consumption and alcohol related problems. 190 college students attending public university in Padova participated in this study (81% female; mean age = 21.73; SD = 1.58). Students compiled an online questionnaire through which a profile was created depending on their risk type (high-medium-low) and drinking motives (enhancement, social, conformity and coping). Following this phase, participants carried out a specific online training that was adapted to their personal profile. The training lasted six weeks. The results of the current study showed that the programme resulted in less alcohol consumption and alcohol related problems in the sample, especially: (a) for hazardous drinkers at baseline; (b) after the personalized feedback, between the first and the second week. This study suggests that prevention efforts should be developed towards the specific motives for engaging in alcohol use of the students.