Theories of behaviour change and personalised feedback interventions for college student drinking

Abstract

Although personalised feedback interventions (PFIs) for alcohol misuse among college students have demonstrated reliable efficacy, effect sizes are modest and little improvement in efficacy has been observed in the last 15 years. More systematic and explicit application of theory may enhance our understanding of PFI mechanisms and lead to incremental improvements in efficacy. The current review identified intervention trials of PFIs (N = 93), the theoretical frameworks (N = 20) on which they were based, the extent to which theory was utilised in development and evaluation of the intervention, and the principles of behaviour change implicated in each of those theories. Though the majority of studies identified a theoretical framework for interventions, theory is not being tested uniformly across current studies of PFIs. A review of the most commonly cited theories resulted in identification of 11 theoretical principles of behaviour change: alternatives to behaviour, autonomy, commitment, expectancies, goals/change plan, interpersonal discrepancy, intrapersonal discrepancy, awareness of contingent outcomes, self-efficacy, skills necessary to overcome barriers and therapeutic relationship. Potential applications of these theoretical principles in PFI development and testing are discussed.

• Alcohol
• college students
• drinking
• motivational interviewing
• personalised feedback
• theory

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Note: *Articles included in review. ^$Articles included as secondary analysis of original report.

Notes

¹Most studies referenced MI, but none referenced the specific theory (Miller & Rose, 2009); thus, data were coded including and excluding MI as a theory (Table 1).