Best Practices In Alcohol Education: 10 Core Concepts To Teach College Students

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Best Practices In Alcohol Education 10 Core
Concepts To Teach College Students

• Brian Van Brunt, Ed.D.
• Senior Vice President for Professional
  Development Programs
• National Center For Higher Education Risk
  Management
• Brian_at_ncherm.org

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Purchase, Customize or Create?

• College administrators and student affairs staff
  are placed in the position of choosing the best
  approach to alcohol prevention and sanctioning on
  their campus.
• There are a number of commercial programs,
  training seminars and free SAMHSA information on
  alcohol programming available.

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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Purchase, Customize or Create?

• One emerging area of concern is the role of
  research and evidence-based practice. Many
  programs are using research as part of their
  advertising efforts.
• While evidence-based practice is a good idea, it
  is important to ensure that the research is
  accurate and applicable to your campus. In other
  words, do the research findings apply to your
  institutions specific climate?

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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Purchase, Customize or Create?
Assessment and evaluation of an alcohol program
on a college campus can be challenging. There are
generally two approaches
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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Purchase, Customize or Create?

• With student feelings, surveys and interviews are
  designed to assess the students experience with
  the program. Think consumer satisfaction.
• The central question is How does the student
  feel about the program?
• Was it too long? Too short? Could they relate to
  it? Do they think it will change their drinking
  habits?

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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Purchase, Customize or Create?

• With data-based assessments, objective data is
  used to assess what the students have learned and
  how this may apply to their drinking habits.
• This may be looking at judicial sanctioning
  percentages for the freshman class or vandalism
  on campus.
• It may be a pre-test given before the program and
  a post-test given after to look at differences in
  knowledge.

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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Purchase, Customize or Create?

• Each approach comes with some concerns.
• We know that correlation does not imply
  causation. If judicial sanctions for alcohol are
  down on your campus, are there other factors in
  addition to the alcohol program that could be
  responsible?
• Are the students responding with the Hawthorne
  Effect, saying what the researchers want to
  hear?

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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Purchase, Customize or Create?

• If there is an initial improvement between pre-
  and post-test scores, does that knowledge stay
  for the student at 2 weeks, 2 months2 years?
• Is there a connection between a student learning
  what they should do versus what they actually do
  in real life scenarios?
• Do some programs have the funding and connections
  to better create research studies that support
  their program?

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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Purchase, Customize or Create?

• Primary Prevention
• Full student body
• No specific risk
• Secondary Prevention
• Target group (freshmen, Greek)
• Some general risk
• Tertiary Prevention
• Target group (sanctioned)
• Identified risk

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Purchase, Customize or Create?

• This is similar to the 3-in-1 framework that
  supports the use of comprehensive, integrated
  programs with multiple complementary components
  that target
• (1) individuals, including at-risk or alcohol-
  dependent drinkers,
• (2) the student population as a whole, and
• (3) the college and the surrounding community.
• www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/StatsSummaries/3
  inone.aspx

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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Free Online Resources
Alcohol 101 plus College Drinking Changing the
Culture Drivers Against MADD Methods (DAMM)
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• www.alcohol101plus.org
• Program designed for first-year students, Greeks,
  athletes and judicial policy offenders
• High quality video recordings
• Set up on bulletin board layout with sticky notes
  and colorful graphics
• Developed for free by distillers

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• Virtual tour of campus with video scenarios acted
  out, exploration of terms like pre-gaming,
  examples lead to choose your own path videos
• Reflection on what choices are made
• Very graphically involved, similar to the Sims
  video game animated characters

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• A bit dogmatic about drinking consequences for a
  sip of rum call the dean, alcohol education
  class, call to parents, transcriptsa bit
  unrealistic, most schools are not kicking
  students out for 2 minor alcohol violations
• Greek row - presenting both sides of Greek life
  the days when Greeks throw crazy parties
  where everyone gets wasted are gone. We
• are lucky no one has died
• Focused on taking responsibility for carding and
  monitoring drinking

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• Virtual Bar to calculate BAC levels state laws
  after weight/gender information is entered can
  see how friends with different weights genders
  would be affected by same drinking
• Real life DUI video, parents picking student up
  at police station laying on guilt (cost of
  insurance, impound, court date with costs)
• Looks at scare tactics, fired from jobDUI costs
  8649 for first DUI a first DUI in Kentucky is
  about 1000

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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• College Drinking government website clearinghouse
  of information
• www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/
• Offers a wide spectrum of information for free
  that can be adapted to your college. Is also a
  great resource for articles, many with printable
  PDFs available at no cost for immediate download.

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• Blood alcohol level, calorie cost calculators
• Flash Alcohol Myths video and Alcohol and You
  An Interactive Body flash video
• Tips on cutting down drinking
• Alcohol abuse facts
• Information for college parents and presidents

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• http//damm-madd.com/
• Argue BAC is not a good method for assessment,
  that reaction time is more accurate
• If the State will issue a license to a
  75-year-old driver whose response time on a
  simulator is 1.5 seconds, then obviously the
  State considers 1.5 seconds to be within safe
  limits for operating a motor vehicle on public
  roadways

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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Ten Must Haves for Alcohol Programs

• 1. All Alcohol Isn't Created Equal
• 2. Binge Drinking and the Funnel
• 3. Drinking Games
• 4. Qualities of Successful Drinkers
• 5. Bi Phasic Effect
• 6. Harm Reduction and MET
• 7. Change Theory Prochaska and DiClemente
• 8. Social Norming
• 9. Dont Drink to Cope
• 10. The Light Board

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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1. All Alcohol Isnt Created Equal

• Many programs offer some discussion addressing
  the difference between volume of alcohol in a
  quantity of liquid.
• This is an essential education task for college
  students. Understanding what one drink is when
  dealing with red party cups, large margaritas and
  Jell-O shooters.

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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2. Binge Drinking and the Funnel

• The problem with binge drinking is that the
  alcohol cannot be processed at the rate of
  consumption
• The vivid example given during an alcohol
  education class is a big blue funnel filling up
  with water over their kitchen sink at home
• Turn the water on too fast and
  the funnel cant keep up with the flow

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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2. Binge Drinking and the Funnel

• There are several factors
• that affect the rate of
• absorption. These are
• Amount consumed
• Time consumed
• Gender
• women process slower
• Weight
• Food consumed prior to drinking

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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3. Drinking Games Funneling
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3. Drinking Games Shot Luge
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3. Drinking Games Shotgunning
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3. Drinking Games Beirut, Beer-Pong
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3. Drinking Games

• Though controversial, I would suggest there is
  nothing inherently wrong with drinking games. The
  problem is
• Knowing your limit and sticking to it
• Avoiding overuse of games
• (Remember, even Cookie Monster now sees
  cookies
• as a sometimes food)

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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4. Qualities of Successful Drinkers

• There is a great deal of time spent on discussing
  what warning signs we should look for with
  problem drinkers. Things like
• drinking first thing in the morning
• blackouts
• not sticking to a limit
• I would suggest more attention to helping
  students understand how people drink when they do
  not have a drinking problem

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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4. Qualities of Successful Drinkers

• Some of these qualities include
• Eating before drinking
• Sipping drinks, savor the flavors and aromas
• Alternating with non-alcoholic drinks
• An ability to set a limit and stick to it
• Knowing how much alcohol theyve had
• Respecting the rights of others not to drink
• Can have fun with or without alcohol

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5. Biphasic Effect

• The Big Drinking Secret
• How to Drink Well

David J. Hanson, Ph. D. Professor Emeritus of
Sociology of the State University of New York at
Potsdam.
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5. Biphasic Effect
Most people think that if a few drinks make them
feel good, then a lot of drinks will make them
feel even better. But thats not true. Although
a few drinks will make them feel better, more
will make them feel worse. Its called the
biphasic (or two-part) effect.
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5. Biphasic Effect
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5. Biphasic Effect

• Heres what happens. People tend to feel better
  as their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rises
  to about .05 (.055 to be exact). Thats the first
  phase or part.
• If people drink more and their BAC rises above
  .055, the negative effects of drinking increase
  and hangovers become worse. Thats the second
  phase.
• So its clearly smart to stop during the first
  phase and not progress into the second phase.

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5. Biphasic Effect
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5. Biphasic Effect
Euphoria - Up
Point of Diminishing Returns

Cultural Myth About Alcohol
Feeling Scale
0
After Tolerance Develops
__
Dysphoria - Down
Time
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6. Harm Reduction MET

• Motivation can be understood not as something
  that one has but rather as something one does. It
  involves recognizing a problem, searching for a
  way to change, and then beginning and sticking
  with that change strategy.
• There are, it turns out, many ways to help people
  move toward such recognition and action.
• William R. Miller, 1999, p. 8

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Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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6. Harm Reduction MET
Five key elements to MI (or MET) are
1. Express Empathy 2. Develop Discrepancy 3.
Avoid Argumentation 4. Roll with Resistance 5.
Support Self-Efficacy
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Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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6. Harm Reduction MET

• Attempt to see the situation from the students
  eyes (empathy) to understand their lack of
  motivation for change.
• Time is spent helping the student understand that
  their current actions will not lead to a desired
  outcome.

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7. Change Theory Prochaska and DiClemente
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Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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7. Change Theory Prochaska and DiClemente

• Students fail to achieve the change they are
  seeking because we focus our efforts on the
  action stage too quickly (skipping
  pre-contemplation, contemplation and
  preparation).
• Many of the frustrations we face when working
  with mandated, hostile or unmotivated students
  can be explained by this process.

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Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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7. Change Theory Prochaska and DiClemente
Goal in Conversation What to say
Validate their experience You are here to talk about your drinking, but arent sure you want to cut back.
Acknowledge their control As much as I may want you to stop drinking, the choice to stop or cut back remains with you.
Give your opinion It seems your drinking has had a negative impact on your life. Tell me how you see it.
Acknowledge the pressure This is a difficult discussion for you. You likely feel pressured to tell me what I want to hear.
Validate they are not ready I understand you are not ready to cut back on your drinking.
Restate they must choose Ultimately, it is up to you to choose to cut back or stop your drinking.
Reframe this discussion This discussion is a starting place, lets see it as a beginning rather than a final discussion.
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Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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8. Social Norming

• We need to include developmentally appropriate
  messages about drinking safely.
• We drink more when we are with people who drink
  more than we do. Environments that are known to
  us and populated with people we trust to support
  our choices further reduce the risk of harm.

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8. Social Norming

• It may seem like everyone at college drinks and
  goes to parties every weekend.
• But a third of all college students surveyed in
  2005 said they didnt drink at all in the past
  month, and less than half reported binge drinking
  (3 to 4 or more drinks in under two hours) over
  the course of a month.

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9. Dont Drink to Cope

• While the proportion of students who binge drink
  frequently has continued to rise in the last
  decade, that number still accounts for less than
  a quarter of all college students.
• Not all college students drink, and the ones that
  do dont drink all the time. Lots of students are
  having fun without alcohol at school-sponsored
  events like concerts and poetry nights or
  off-campus plays, restaurants and more.

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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9. Dont Drink to Cope
Alcohol is an inadequate coping
mechanism Stressed-out students who turn to
alcohol have a tendency to act more impulsively
and therefore have higher risks of suicides,
perpetrating violence, or being involved in
behaviors that have short- and long- term
consequences (unwanted sexual encounters,
pregnancies, auto accidents,
property damage, etc.)
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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10. The Light Board

• In teaching AOD classes to sanctioned college
  students, I found the following imagery helpful.
• As I talk to you today about alcohol use, I want
  you to imagine a blank wall in a dark room.
  Imagine small circular holes are cut out of the
  wall and small white Christmas lights are placed
  in these holes. As I talk, if one of the points I
  make about alcohol use hits home for you, imagine
  a light turns on.

Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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10. The Light Board
For each of us, any few lights probably arent
an indication that you have a problem with
alcohol. But, if as you listen, you find yourself
lighting up a large number of lights then you
might consider coming into counseling to talk to
someone about your alcohol use.
Dr. Brian Van Brunt, LPCC, CFC Western Kentucky
University
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• Brian_at_ncherm.org
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