Effectiveness of drinking reduction program focused on self-determination enhancement for college students with problematic drinking

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the impact of a drinking reduction program on drinking motivation, drinking refusal self-efficacy, and problematic drinking behaviors in college students with problematic drinking habits. Methods: This study incorporated a non-equivalent control group pre-post-test design. Study participants included 58 college students who scored 12 or more in the AUDIT-K test (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Korean version) (experimental group: 30; control group: 28). The intervention consisted of eight sessions and was conducted once a week. It was designed to promote autonomy, competence, and relatedness-the three elements of basic psychological needs in self-determination the-ory. The participants were assessed before the intervention, immediately after, and four weeks post intervention. Data were collected from Oc-tober 12 to December 31, 2017. The analysis employed the chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, independent t-test, and repeated measures ANO-VA using SPSS/WIN 22.0. Results: The mean age of participants was 21.8 years. There were 30 men (51.7%) and 28 women (48.3%). The differences in drinking motivation, drinking refusal self-efficacy, and problematic drinking behaviors were statistically significant for the group by time interaction (F = 42.56, p < .001; F = 54.96, p < .001; F = 39.90, p < .001, respectively). Conclusion: The findings indicate that the intervention ef-fectively decreases drinking motivation, increases drinking refusal self-efficacy, and decreases problematic drinking behaviors. It can be an effi-cient strategy for college students with problematic drinking habits to enhance their self-determination ability.