DOES ALCOHOL EDUCATION WORK? THE EVALUATION OF A UNIVERSITY ALCOHOL EDUCATION PROGRAM

Abstract

The PURPOSE of this study was to develop and evaluate an alcohol awareness program at Indiana University during the 1975 academic year based upon the concept of responsible drinking. METHODS include the development of a training manual, a film Booze and You’s, 5 values clarification discussion exercises and the Student Alcohol Questionnaire (SAQ) for this campus program. An experimental and control group of students in one large residential units were invited to participate in the study. The SAQ was administered before the program. After an hour and forty-five minutes of film and discussion, both experimental and control groups were administered an alternative form of the alcohol knowledge scale from the questionnaire. After a three month period, students in both the experimental and control groups were again administered the SAQ. Due to transfers and attrition 50 students in the experimental group and 33 students in the control group completed all of the research conditions including the three month post-test. The RESULTS revealed a significant difference in terms of knowledge of alcohol in the experimental group both immediately and three months post-test time periods. It was CONCLUDED that a film, and values clarification exercises with trained peer leaders was an effective method of imparting knowledge of alcohol.