Do “Clicker” Educational Sessions Enhance the Effectiveness of a Social Norms Marketing Campaign?

Abstract

Objective: Social norms campaigns are a cost-effective way to reduce high-risk drinking on college campuses. This study compares effectiveness of a “standard” social norms media (SNM) campaign for those with and without exposure to additional educational sessions using audience response technology (“clickers”). Methods: American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment questions are used to evaluate actual and perceived use. Additional survey questions assess individual exposure to the interventions. Results: The authors find “clicker” technology to be more effective than social norms poster media alone in reducing misperceptions of normative alcohol use for those students who attended clicker sessions. Conclusion: Poster SNM campaigns may be most effective when supported by group “clicker” heath-related sessions.

Keywords:

• alcohol
• audience response technology
• college students
• health education

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was supported in part by a gift from the Anheuser Busch companies and its charitable foundation. The authors thank Katherine Vatalaro Hill, MPH, for facilitating IRB approval of the ACHA-NCHA, Laurie Frye for assistance with the literature review, and all of the study participants. The views presented in this article are those of the authors and do not represent those of the funding agencies.