Development and Computerized Implementation of an Impaired Driving Intervention for College Students

Abstract

Excessive alcohol consumption and drinking and driving among college students are public health concerns. Online alcohol-related interventions have produced some positive outcomes in the college student populations; however, online interventions to reduce drinking and driving specifically have been neither developed nor tested. We developed an online Impaired Driving Intervention (IDI) using the Impaired Driving Assessment, a modified alcohol-specific version of timeline follow-back method of assessing behavior. This research examines: (1) the development of the IDI; (2) a pilot test of the IDI among 19 undergraduates; and (3) the refinements made to the program based on the pilot test. As a result of our pilot test, we changed the timing of our participant screening and for several program components we provided clearer instructions, including the addition of informative “pop-up” windows.