Research & Resources

Researchers examined the independent and interactive effects of parent-based interventions (PBIs) and living at home with parents as they have been shown to mitigate alcohol risk associated with the first year of college. The sample included 82 parent-student dyads. Parents were randomized to receive an online PBI that either did or did not include alcohol-related content in December 2020. Students completed online surveys assessing college residence and drinking (typical weekly drinking and peak drinking occasions) in August 2020 (T1) and February 2021 (T2). Results revealed that living with parents predicted decreases in typical weekly drinking at T2. In addition, having a parent in the intervention predicted decreases in the number of drinks consumed on peak drinking occasions at T2. These findings support continued exploration of online PBIs, as they appear to reduce peak drinking during the first year of college and reduce the odds of students drinking during a typical week when they move out of their parents’ home.

This paper, “Do the effects of parent-based alcohol interventions depend on college residence? A short communication,” was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.