Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS): A Harm Reduction Approach

Linda A. Dimeff

Guilford Press, Jan 8, 1999 - Psychology - 200 pages

This instructive manual presents a pragmatic and clinically proven approach to the prevention and treatment of undergraduate alcohol abuse. The BASICS model is a nonconfrontational, harm reduction approach that helps students reduce their alcohol consumption and decrease the behavioral and health risks associated with heavy drinking. Including numerous reproducible handouts and assessment forms, the book takes readers step-by-step through conducting BASICS assessment and feedback sessions. Special topics covered include the use of DSM-IV criteria to evaluate alcohol abuse, ways to counter student defensiveness about drinking, and obtaining additional treatment for students with severe alcohol dependency.

Note about Photocopy Rights: The Publisher grants individual book purchasers nonassignable permission to reproduce selected figures, information sheets, and assessment instruments in this book for professional use. For details and limitations, see copyright page.

Contents

• Alcohol Use and Prevention of Alcohol Abuse in College Students: 7
• Prevention Approaches for College Students: 9
• Risk Factors Associated with College Drinking: 11
• Barriers to Effective Prevention and Treatment: 13
• Moving Past Barriers and towards a Scientifically Informed Approach: 15
• The Alcohol Skills Training Program: 18
• ASTP Modalities: 21
• Overview of Research Findings on ASTP: 25
• Laying the Foundations for BASICS: 29
• Theoretical Approaches to Preventing Harm from Alcohol Use: 30
• Basic Information about Alcohol: 43
• BASICS Clinical Aims TherapistClient Issues and Format: 57
• The Initial Assessment Interview: 61
• Preparing for the First Session: 63
• The Actual Meeting: 64
• SelfReport Questionnaire Packet of Lifestyle Measures: 84
• The Feedback Interview: 88
• Preparing for the Second Session: 89
• The Actual Meeting: 93
• Clinical Considerations: 133
• Types of Student Responses to BASICS: 135
• Troubleshooting Sticky Situations: 142
• Discussion of Assessment Instruments Relevant to BASICS: 147
• Alcohol Dependence: 150
• Family History of Alcohol or Other Substance Use Problems: 151
• Medical Screening: 152
• Motivation to Change: 153
• Life Stress and Psychological Distress: 154
• Perceptions of Normative Drinking Behavior: 155
• Prior History of Behavioral Problems: 156
• Personalized Graphic Feedback and Tips Sheets: 157
• Tips Sheets: 162
• Harm Reduction Handouts for Students Who Drink: 165
• Thinking about Moderating Your Drinking: 166
• Positive Alcohol Expectancies: 167
• The Biphasic Response or More Isnt Necessarily Better: 169
• Alcohol Intoxication and Performance: 170
• Gender Differences and Alcohol or the Big Gap in Levels of Intoxication: 171
• Alcohol and Sexual Assault: 173
• A Selection of Published and Unpublished Assessment Measures: 175
• Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol CEA: 176
• Daily Drinking Questionnaire DDQ Modified: 178
• FrequencyQuantity Questionnaire: 179
• Drinking Norms Rating Form: 180
• Alcohol Perceived Risks Assessment APRA: 181
• Brief Sexual Behaviors Survey BSBS: 182
• References: 185
• Index: 197

About the author

Linda A. Dimeff, PhD, is a Research Scientist in the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington. Her research and clinical interests range from prevention of alcohol problems in college students to treatment of severely disordered substance abusing individuals with borderline personality disorder. Funded by two grant awards, her dissertation was a replication and extension of BASICS applied in a student health center setting and using multimedia computers, along with provider advice.
John S. Baer, PhD, is Research Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Washington, and is currently Coordinator of Education at the National Center of Excellence for Substance Abuse Treatment and Education at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. Dr. Baer's research and clinical interests focus on the assessment, early intervention, and relapse of substance use and abuse. He is the recipient of local and national research grants examining secondary prevention and etiology of alcohol problems.
Daniel R. Kivlahan, PhD, is Director of the National Center of Excellence in Substance Abuse Treatment and Education at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He continues to pursue health services research related to substance use disorders, including development, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.

G. Alan Marlatt, PhD, until his death in 2011, was Director of the Addictive Behaviors Research Center and Professor of Psychology at the University of Washington. For over 30 years, Dr. Marlatt conducted pioneering work on understanding and preventing relapse in substance abuse treatment and was a leading proponent of the harm reduction approach to treating addictive behaviors. He was a recipient of honors including the Jellinek Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to knowledge in the field of alcohol studies, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Innovators Combating Substance Abuse Award, the Research Society on Alcoholism's Distinguished Researcher Award, and the Career/Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS): A Harm Reduction Approach
• Editor: Linda A. Dimeff
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Guilford Press, 1999
• ISBN: 1572303921, 9781572303928
• Length: 200 pages
• Subjects: Education / Higher; Psychology / Psychopathology / Addiction; Self-Help / Substance Abuse & Addictions / Alcohol