There are over a million alcohol- related deaths each year, world wide. A considerable number of these deaths occur among the young, including students.

Cochrane Systematic Review came with the following interesting observation — providing students with personalized feedback regarding their penchant for drinking, and how their behavior compares to social norms, might help to reduce alcohol misuse.

Substantial social science research has revealed  that students are inclined to verestimate the quantity of alcohol that their peers consume. This overestimation has an impact on their behaviors and contributes to the escalating numbers of alcohol-related deaths among them.

According to the 22 trials conducted by  Cochrane research, providing personalized  feedback about students’ drinking  behaviors (and that of their peers’) using the internet or individual face- to- face  counseling sessions may help to address these misconceptions  and to minimize alcohol - related problems!

Group counseling and mailed feedback did not produce the necessary impact.

Lead researcher Maria Teresa Moreira, from the School of Health and Social Care, Oxford Brookes University, UK says “We can’t make direct comparisons between the different interventions, but ,based on a small number of studies, web-based interventions would certainly seem to be a cost-effective option for reducing alcohol misuse.”

“We know that social norms have a powerful impact on thought and behaviour, so changing people’s perceptions about what is normal can really help. Most of the effects lasted for a few months, but some lasted over a year, particularly for the web-based feedback,”  Moreira added.

So the next time your teen binges on alcohol, feed him back his drinking behavior and don’t forget to use the net!

Dr.Reeja Tharu

Related links

1. Alcohol abuse

2. Natural Remedy - Alcoholism