Alcohol use in college: Limitations on the transformation of social norms

This article investigates the impact of an intervention designed to reduce alcohol use among students attending a university in the western United States. After reviewing the literature on the impact of this type of intervention elsewhere, this article describes the development and implementation of the intervention under investigation. Baseline data was collected prior to the initiation of the intervention and follow-up data was collected at one- and two-year intervals. Results indicate that while the intervention had a significant effect on reducing student misperceptions of alcohol use on campus, no significant changes in consumption rates occurred. This article concludes with a discussion of the limitations associated with attempts to transform social norms regarding college alcohol use.