JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

This study presents the results of a randomized pilot trial of an integrated alcohol and sexual assault prevention program for college men who report heavy drinking. Participants were 115 heavy drinking college men who were randomly assigned to the Sexual Assault and Alcohol Feedback and Education (SAFE) program or a mindfulness-based control condition (MBCC). The feasibility of implementation, adequacy of participant retention, the fidelity and competency of program administration, and satisfaction and utility of the intervention were evaluated. Primary outcomes of alcohol use and sexual aggression were evaluated at 2- and 6-months after baseline. Secondary outcomes of perceived peer norms, risks for sexual aggression, and bystander intervention were also assessed. The extent to which the Motivational Interviewing session with Personalized Normative Feedback (BMI+PNF) facilitated change in the proximal outcomes of drinking intentions, motivation to change and self-efficacy was also examined. Study procedures resulted in high program completion and retention (>80%), fidelity to the program manual (>80% of content included), high competency in program administration, and high ratings of satisfaction and program utility. Both groups reported declines in drinks per week and number of heavy drinking days. Compared to MBCC, SAFE participants reported higher motivation to change alcohol use post-program, as well as greater use of alcohol PBS at 6-months. Compared to MBCC, SAFE participants also reported lower perceived peer engagement in sexual coercion, perceived peer comfort with sexism, and peer drinking norms at 2- and 6-months. Findings support the feasibility, acceptability, utility, and preliminary efficacy of SAFE as a promising integrated alcohol and sexual assault prevention approach for heavy drinking college men.