Little is known about the way in which mandated and heavy-drinking voluntary students comparatively respond to peer-led brief motivational interventions (BMIs) and the mediators and moderators of intervention effects. Research suggests that mandated students may be more defensive due to their involvement in treatment against their will and this defensiveness, in turn, may relate to treatment outcome. Furthermore, it is not clear how mandated and heavy-drinking voluntary students perceived satisfaction with peer-led BMIs relates to treatment outcomes. Using data from two separate randomized controlled trials, heavy drinking college students (heavy-drinking voluntary, n = 156; mandated, n = 82) completed a peer-led brief motivational intervention (BMI). Both mandated and heavy-drinking volunteer students significantly reduced drinking behaviors at 3-month follow-up, reported high levels of post-intervention session satisfaction, yet no effects for mediation or moderation were found. Findings offer continued support for using peer counselors to deliver BMIs; however, results regarding the mechanisms of change were in contrast to previous findings. Implications for treatment and future areas of research are discussed.
Author note: Nadine Mastroleo's contribution to this manuscript was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grants F31 AA 017012 and T32 AA07459. Brian Borsari's contribution to this manuscript was supported by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grant R01- AA017427. The contents of this manuscript do not represent the views of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.
