Examination of relationships among nonconformity, alcohol use, and a web-based normative feedback alcohol intervention in a sample of college freshmen

The aim of the present study was to examine the relations among completion of a web-based normative feedback alcohol intervention (i.e., e-CHUG), nonconformity, and level of alcohol use in a sample of college freshmen at a large public university. A survey was administered to 260 participants at two time points during the first semester of their freshman year to assess alcohol use and related consequences, five measures of nonconformity, and status of intervention completion. E-CHUG completion status may be associated with lower alcohol use, even after controlling for level of nonconformity. Level of nonconformity was not a significant moderator of the potential effect of e-CHUG, suggesting that both conformists and nonconformists may benefit from any effects of e-CHUG. However, effects of e-CHUG completion on individual change scores were not statistically significant, and intervention completion was associated with AUDIT scores increasing, not decreasing, between the two assessments. Individuals high in nonconformity were more likely to report higher levels of drinking, and were more likely to report an increase in drinking levels. Although the limitations of the present study preclude our ability to make any conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the e-CHUG intervention, this study suggests that e-CHUG completion may be associated with lower alcohol use, and that nonconformity is a useful covariate to consider in future examinations of personalized normative feedback interventions.