Capturing meaningful change: Initiation and maintenance of reductions in World Health Organization risk drinking levels among mandated college students.

OBJECTIVE

Reductions in World Health Organization (WHO) risk drinking levels have been used to capture nonabstinent reductions in drinking in the general population and in clinical trials. We examined mandated college students' reductions in WHO risk drinking levels 1 month postintervention, whether reductions were maintained at 5- to 6- and 12-month follow-ups and whether maintenance to 12 months predicted better alcohol-related outcomes. We also explored sex differences throughout.

METHOD: The sample consisted of nonabstinent mandated students who received a brief motivational intervention (N = 816). Sex-specific WHO risk levels were calculated from drinks per drinking day at baseline and follow-ups. Additional measures of alcohol use and consequences were assessed at baseline and 12-month follow-up.

RESULTS

Most participants (61%) did not initiate reductions in drinking risk level by 1 month follow-up. Of those who achieved at least a one-level reduction, approximately 60% maintained this change at 5-6 and 12 months. Further evidencing maintenance, 1-month reductions predicted an approximately 500% increase in the odds of at least a one-level reduction at each follow-up. Finally, those who failed to maintain at least a one-level reduction to 12 months and those who successfully maintained change were generally similar at baseline. However, by 12 months, those who failed to maintain reduced drinking drank more and experienced more consequences than those who maintained changes. There were few sex differences across all results.

CONCLUSIONS

Reductions in WHO risk drinking levels hold promise for quantifying meaningful, individual-level initiation and maintenance of reduced drinking among mandated students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).