Better Drinking Buddies: a pilot intervention to prevent violence by reducing alcohol consumption of potential bystanders

Abstract Objective This study pilot tested a novel intervention prototype that combined bystander training to prevent sexual violence with brief alcohol intervention. Participants 40 heavy drinking young adult undergraduates. Methods Students completed 1 two-hour psychoeducational group intervention and were assessed at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and a 4 wk later. Results Groups were completed in 2 h; 88% of students rated the group as excellent. Students had increased sexual violence knowledge (η2 = .36), alcohol knowledge (η2 = .32), and bystander intentions (η2 = .11); and reduced alcohol consumption (η2 = .11), and perceived drinking norms (η2 = .14). Conclusions This intervention has potential to reduce sexual violence on college campuses by (1) moderating drinking behaviors of potential bystanders and (2) training students to use bystander strategies within heavy drinking context that has high risk for sexual violence. Future research should test this intervention in a larger controlled trial.