Date Approved

6-30-2025

Embargo Period

6-30-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D. Clinical Psychology

Department

Clinical Psychology

College

College of Science & Mathematics

Advisor

DJ Angelone, Ph.D.

Committee Member 1

Meredith Jones, Ph.D.

Committee Member 2

Danielle Arigo, Ph.D.

Committee Member 3

Angelo M. DiBello, Ph.D.

Committee Member 4

Chelsie M. Young, Ph.D.

Disciplines

Clinical Psychology | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

On average, graduate students consume eight drinks per week, meeting criteria for heavy drinking and highlighting the need for a cost-effective intervention. The current study examined the efficacy of personalized normative feedback (PNF) for reducing heavy drinking in graduate students. Study 1 examined the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention content to inform a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the intervention. Results from qualitative interviews with 13 graduate students who interacted with the intervention content preferred to receive feedback about peers enrolled in the same type of degree program. Study 2 was an RCT using PNF from peers with the same gender and type of degree program to examine (1) the efficacy of the PNF intervention, (2) whether descriptive norms at follow-up mediated the effect of intervention condition on drinks per week and alcohol-related consequences, and (3) whether gender and baseline drinking moderated intervention efficacy. Eligible participants completed baseline drinking measures, were randomly assigned to the PNF feedback group or the control group and completed follow-up measures one month after baseline. We used negative binomial regressions to evaluate the aims of Study 2, and found that there was no significant reduction in drinks per week or alcohol-related consequences for participants in the intervention versus control condition. There were no significant mediation or moderation effects. Future studies should explore how to make normative data more salient and enhance cognitive dissonance during the intervention.

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