Group Alcohol Interventions for College Men

Examining an Integrated Bystander and Alcohol Program for Sexual Assault Perpetration: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial

The objective of the proposed project is to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing sexual assault perpetration and related outcomes (i.e., bystander behavior; rape myth acceptance) for men who receive a group alcohol intervention only to men who receive a group integrated alcohol and sexual assault intervention.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Alcohol Drinking; Sexual Behavior
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: BASICS; Behavioral: Relaxation; Behavioral: Integrated BASICS; Behavioral: Integrated Bystander

Detailed Description

Although research suggests that sexual assault interventions based on Bystander and Social Norms theory help to reduce sexual assault among college men, these programs do not completely eliminate sexual assault and their effects tend to fade over time. Unfortunately, there is minimal research on whether (1) decreasing alcohol use concurrently decreases sexual assault perpetration among college men and (2) whether alcohol interventions can be incorporated into existing sexual assault programs for college men (i.e., Bystander/Social Norms programs). Therefore, the objective of the proposed project is to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing sexual assault perpetration and related outcomes (i.e., bystander behavior; rape myth acceptance) for men who receive a group alcohol intervention only to men who receive a group integrated alcohol and sexual assault intervention. Specifically, the alcohol only intervention will consist of the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS), an empirically-supported intervention for college student drinking. The integrated alcohol and sexual assault intervention, which we have termed Ohio University's Combined Alcohol and Normative Intervention program (OU CAN), will be modeled after BASICS and empirically-supported Bystander and Social Norms interventions for sexual assault. The current study will recruit 100 college men who are sanctioned by their university to receive an alcohol intervention for violating a campus alcohol policy: by definition an indicated and at-risk population for sexual assault perpetration. Men will be followed for 6 months to determine the effects of the intervention on sexual assault perpetration and other primary outcomes (e.g., bystander behavior).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 93
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must be 18 or older; must be an Ohio University student; must be male; must be sanctioned to receive an alcohol intervention by Ohio University

Exclusion Criteria:

• Under the age of 18

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Alcohol and Relaxation; This arm will receive a brief (2-hour) alcohol intervention based on motivational interviewing termed BASICS and a brief (1.5 hour) relaxation intervention	Behavioral: BASICS; A one session intervention focused on reducing drinking with motivational interviewing; Behavioral: Relaxation; A one session intervention focused on increasing relaxation skills
Active Comparator: Alcohol and Relationships; This arm will receive a brief (4-hour), two session, integrated alcohol and relationship intervention based on motivational interviewing designed to increase healthy alcohol use and sexual behavior. The interventions are based on an integrated BASICS and integrated Bystander protocols	Behavioral: Integrated BASICS; A one session intervention focused on reducing drinking and sexual behavior while drinking; Behavioral: Integrated Bystander; A one session intervention focused on reducing sexual assault with a focus on the role of alcohol

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sexual Experiences Survey	A self-report measure that examines potential sexual assault behaviors	6 months post-intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Bystander Behavior Scale	A self-report measure that examines opportunities and engagement in prosocial bystander behavior.	6 months post-intervention
Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale	A self-report measure that examines rape supportive beliefs	6 months post-intervention
Sexual Social Norms Inventory	A self-report measure that examines sexual normative beliefs	6 months post-intervention
Alcohol use Disorders Identification Test	A self-report measure that examines alcohol use	6 months post-intervention
Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol	A self-report measure that examines expectancies of alcohol use	6 months post-intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ohio University
• Collaborators: U.S. Department of Justice
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Brian T Wymbs, PhD, Ohio University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: January 1, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): November 1, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 1, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 2, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): December 6, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 5, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 3, 2020
• Last Verified: March 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Drinking Behavior; Alcohol Drinking
• Other Study ID Numbers: 16-F-33

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO