The BASICS Research Project
BASICS is an evidence-based, brief screening intervention to decrease high-risk drinking and associated consequences for undergraduate students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The program expands the capacity of University Health Services (UHS) to address problem drinking through the development of a sound, sustainable infrastructure for identification, screening, and referral of students most in need of services.
The project targets students ages 18 – 24 who are charged with violating campus alcohol and other drug policies, or who are identified through referrals from health care providers, campus or town police, or housing services. Students attend two one-hour interview sessions with a trained prevention specialist and complete personal assessments of their drinking patterns and attitudes after the first session.
The program’s goals are to enhance the infrastructure to refer, screen and identify students who engage in high-risk drinking behaviors; decrease alcohol use and consequences among students identified as engaging in high-risk drinking behavior; and build capacity of the campus and community to sustain the program at the end of its’ grant funding.
A comprehensive evaluation plan is used to collect process and outcome data. Student self-report data is collected at baseline, post-intervention (approximately 30 days after completing the baseline measure) and six months post-intervention. Changes in individual use are monitored and compared to changes in the general campus population, as measured by a current population level survey, to determine the effectiveness of the program in reducing high-risk drinking. Individual level data is collected from a control group of students who receive a baseline survey; these students also receive a survey 30 days and six months post-baseline to monitor changes in their drinking. Student survey assessments are administered via e-mail.
BASICS is mandatory for students who violate the alcohol policy; however, participation in the research component is voluntary. Identifying information is not linked to individual student data and all data is reported in aggregate. At the end of the survey, students are asked to self-identify themselves and to participate in focus groups to evaluate their experiences. Focus groups examine satisfaction with the intervention and seek suggestions for improvement; they do not solicit personal information such as use or consequences.
For more information, contact Diane Fedorchak, BASICS project director, (413) 577-5071.
