Widespread substance use in college communities in the United States is an ongoing problem which has a multitude of consequences for campus life. Alcohol consumption is the most common form of substance misuse in these environments, and its negative effects span from physical and mental harm to academic and social impacts. Additionally, cannabis remains the most used illicit substance (depending on which state a university is located) in university settings. While the effects of alcohol have been extensively documented, the long-term effects of cannabis are not clearly defined. Despite the dearth in research, emerging literature suggests that cannabis use is not harmless, and may result in respiratory injury and mental health condition exacerbations. Due to the potential dangers of these substances, campus health officials are eager to uncover the best methods to deter substance use within student populations. This study evaluates reception of alcohol and cannabis interventions for college students.
The study’s sample consists of 446 undergraduate students from a large midwestern university in the United States (N=446; 65% female). Participants responded to questionnaires which measured the following variables: hypothetical treatment seeking behaviors, receptiveness to intervention options, alcohol use (via Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), drinking motives (via Drinking Motives Questionnaire), reasons for abstaining or limiting drinking, readiness to change alcohol use, cannabis use (via Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test), cannabis motives (via Marijuana Motives Measure), reasons for abstaining or limiting cannabis use, and readiness to change cannabis use. The data was analyzed using logistic regressions and multivariate analysis.
Results of the analysis found, overall, that students with higher scores for potential substance use problems were less likely to show receptiveness to intervention programs, with the converse also being supported. The intervention types which received the greatest receptiveness scores were related to individual help, family-based sessions, and primary care provider-led sessions.
Takeaway: increased substance use is suggested to be associated with lower receptiveness to different types of treatment interventions. Interventions based out of a primary care provider’s clinic may be underutilized or underdeveloped in university communities.