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Laura Tsotsis, PsyD, is a 2012 graduate of the PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University New England.

Dissertation Committee

  • Colborn Smith, PhD (Committee Chair)
  • David Arbeitman, PhD (Committee Member)
  • David Hamolsky, PsyD (Committee Member)

Keywords

alcohol misuse, college freshmen, preventative program

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2012

Abstract

Alcohol consumption by college students in the United States has increased in quantity and frequency over the past five years. With this increase, there has come evidence of a rise in negative consequences caused by alcohol misuse. To help reduce these problems, colleges and universities nationwide have begun implementing alcohol programs for their undergraduate students. The vast majority of these programs are intervention programs for students who have previously displayed dangerous drinking habits, often seen through campus judicial violations. Research shows that preventative program models, as compared to intervention programs, provide longer lasting changes in individuals and groups. Thus, a prevention approach informs the structural foundation of this dissertation project's development of a comprehensive alcohol program. The Comprehensive Alcohol Prevention Program (CAPP) integrates motivational interviewing, psychoeducation, and developmental concepts and findings in order to more effectively address the misuse of alcohol among the emerging adulthood population, and specifically with college freshmen. The emerging adult issues of exploration, experimentation, and emotional and social challenges are components of the transition to college life and to adulthood. CAPP is designed to use the concepts and strategies of motivational interviewing, and psychoeducation in a developmentally informed manner to reduce alcohol misuse in emerging adults within the first year of college. It is anticipated that this comprehensive preventative program model will facilitate the transformation of emerging adults during their transition into college life.

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