Addressing Evolving Challenges
Protective Message Strategies against Binge Drinking among College Students: Narrative and Inoculation Messages Comparison View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Kimberly A. Parker, Sarah A. Geegan, Bobi Ivanov
This experiment examined pre-emptive strategies against binge drinking among college students. Specifically, the study explored the potential to employ inoculation and narrative messages given the pervasiveness of heavy drinking on college campuses. Utilizing a three-phase experiment, we explored the impact of different communication strategies (inoculation, narrative, control) on binge drinking attitudes. The experimental results indicated that for college students exposed to binge drinking messages, inoculation messages worked better than both narrative and control messages. As such, inoculation messages have the potential to protect attitudes towards binge drinking.
Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treat: Expanding Services and Educational Opportunities
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Kristin Trainor
Responding to the growing need for supportive, evidence based, services to assist students with substance use challenges, a university in the mid-west United States, created a pilot program for substance use screening of college students via an interdisciplinary peer-to-peer framework. The screening program focuses on providing supportive and educational services through the Screen, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model. SBIRT is an evidence-based model which offers early intervention services for substance use. This comprehensive and confidential approach allows for integrated and early intervention for those at-risk of substance use disorders while decreasing potential stigma or punitive responses. The center sought to offer screening services for students and increase practice skills for the Graduate Assistants (GAs) working in the student run health center. GAs receive specialized training and hands-on experience to improve practice skills while offering a vital service to peers. The peer-to-peer approach allows for increased discussion and screening with an opportunity to create improved trust and understanding. The innovative interdisciplinary framework of the screening program was developed to offer a low budget program while decreasing barriers to service, specifically for substance use disorders, however the framework can be easily adapted to focus on a variety of health care supports. A review and synthesis from the 16-month pilot program, including identification of themes, potential policy and practice implications, and discussion emerged. This paper identifies strategies for successful implementation of a peer-to-peer program, challenges for consideration, sustainability, and implications of substance use on college campuses.
Addressing the Impact of Anti-Asian Racism : Lived Experience, Impact, and Strategies for Change
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Van Hieu Ngo
Throughout Canada's history, people of Asian descent have played a significant role in the country's development since the 1700s. However, they have been mistreated with interpersonal and state-sanctioned racial discrimination. This paper analyzes the quantitative and qualitative data collected from a pan-Canadian online survey and interviews focusing on Asian Canadians' experiences with anti-Asian racism and its impact on their well-being. Our findings show that Asian Canadians have experienced various racist incidents, witnessed people of the same race being subjected to racist behaviours, and been subjected to anti-Asian racism in different settings and living contexts. The study highlights the negative impact of anti-Asian racism on Asian Canadians' well-being, including re-experiencing racist incidents, denial of their experiences, adverse changes in mood and recognition, physiological arousal and reactivity, dissociative symptoms, and overall personal distress and life interference. The paper also provides practical strategies to prevent anti-Asian racism and support those community members who have experienced it.
