Selecting Interventions

Selecting evidence-based interventions to reduce alcohol and other drug abuse and violence (AODV) related problems is vital in bringing about long-term changes. There are a variety of resources to consult, including research, program experience, and theory and logic to identify possible strategies.

For work in alcohol abuse prevention, the best resource for evidence-based strategies is the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s (NIAAA) 2002 report, A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges, and the 2007 update, What Colleges Need to Know Now: An Update to College Drinking Research. The Higher Education Center has developed a summary page that includes links to the NIAAA reports.

Consulting the research literature is another way to monitor effective interventions. The Higher Education Center posts a selection of the latest research related to campus-based alcohol and other drug abuse and violence (AODV) prevention, with a special focus on the scope of the problem and promising strategies and interventions.

The Higher Education Center provides information on Model Programs and Case Studies as campus examples that can assist in selecting effective interventions. However, keep in mind that a particular strategy may work on one campus but not on another. Interventions must be tailored to a campus community’s readiness to bring about change and other factors in the environment.

If there is no solid research to support particular strategies that might appear logical, be sure to include a sound evaluation of the interventions to determine effectiveness to bring about desired change.