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The Wellness Resource Center (WRC) utilizes the prevention theories of responsible decision making,harm reduction, social norming and environmental management. The WRC provides a comprehensive,campus wide, year-long wellness approach that begins during summer orientation and continues every month throughout the year. Each year, over 200 student programs are delivered in a wide variety of locations including academic classrooms and residence halls. In addition, various publications, educational posters and displays are used to promote wellness issues, plus the utilization of major campus events. The WRC plans on-going activities and events that support wellness as it relates to issues such as nutrition, self-esteem, stress-reduction, alcohol and drug abuse, eating disorders, smoking, etc.
The WRC has been recognized nationally for its prevention efforts. The US Department of Education named the WRC a Model Program in 2000. The WRC has been recognized by the Interassociation Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse Issues-One of Top Ten Alcohol Awareness Programs in the country for 14 years and this year as one of the top three. The BACCHUS and GAMMA Peer Education Network has recognized the WRC as an Outstanding Chapter for 14 years.
The WRC is underwritten by not only the University but also grants from the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the Missouri Division of Highway Safety, Port Authority, Kansas City, MO - Problem Gaming Fund, CSAP, and the US Department of Education.
What is the purpose of social norming?
Social norm theory states that individuals are highly influenced by what they think their peers are doing or thinking. The theory also states that students typically overestimate problem behavior, such as high risk alcohol consumption, and underestimate healthy behavior. The theory predicts these misperceptions increase problem behaviors and decrease healthy behaviors, because students are acting in accordance to what they think is "normal". Social norm theory predicts that correcting misperceptions of the norm is likely to result in decreased problem behavior and an increase in healthy behavior.
Studies on our campus have shown that our students tend to overestimate how much and how often other students drink. One recent example is that students feel that 60% of their peers drink three times a week or more. The reality is that only 33% drink that often. That misperception is nearly twice that of the real statistic. The Wellness Resource Center is trying to share the accurate picture of student alcohol consumption at Mizzou, with the expectation that doing so (combined with our comprehensive approach) will result in a larger number of students drinking moderately or abstaining, and a smaller number of students making high risk choices. This type of strategy, when implemented appropriately, has been successful at a number of colleges and universities across the country.
For a more detailed discussion of social norms theory and the research associated with it, visit the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Issues website at: www.edc.org/hec/socialnorms/theory.html, The Report on Social Norms at www.socialnormslink.com, or the National Social Norms Resource Center at www.socialnorm.org .
Where do the numbers for the campaign come from?
Each spring, for the last 15 years, the Wellness Resource Center has administered the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey to an average of 1200 students. A random sample of classes is selected and the surveys are administered in the classrooms with faculty permission. The most recent administration of the survey was in February 2005.
Won't the message make students who abstain feel pressured to start drinking?
Research on this issue has consistently shown that this does not happen. Rather, because those who abstain from alcohol fall within the 0-4 range, they report feeling less pressure to drink more.
I don't believe the message because these numbers seem too low. How can they be true, with all the parties and problems we hear about?
It's not surprising that many individuals are skeptical about this message. Virtually everyone has misperceptions about students alcohol use. The problems associated with alcohol are what are reported in the news. And when students come back from parties they talk about the fights, the vomit, the sex, the drunkenness, not about all the people who are drinking responsibly. Since we notice what is exciting or different or tragic, that's what we focus on, and that's what we talk about. When individuals in conversation glamorize and generalize high risk drinking (i.e. "everyone was so wasted at that party last night") then high risk drinking seems to be the norm. However, when people start to pay attention to what is really happening at parties, they begin to notice that it usually is only a small number of individuals who are drinking the largest amount of alcohol and causing the most problems.
What about the Harvard School of Public Health study?
The purpose of Dr. Wechsler’s study was to “determine whether schools that use social norms marketing campaigns experience reductions in students' heavy-drinking behaviors and to compare any observed changes with the experience of schools that do not use such programs." However, the method used to identify schools that implement social norming was methodologically unsound. The only criterion used to identify such programs was the response to one item on a survey sent to school administrators in 2001. This sole relevant question "asked whether or not each school had 'ever conducted a "social-norms" campaign to decrease alcohol use and related problems on campus'; and if it had, the time period during which the program was conducted." There are some obvious criticisms that can be made of a study that is based on such an ill-defined response category. First, and most significantly, no other survey data was collected about the extent or quality of these reported programs, and the authors themselves admit that they made no additional efforts, such as campus visits, "to determine the content, scope and duration" of them.
Social norming is not the silver bullet. It should be used as the Wellness Resource Center does as a part of a comprehensive approach to addressing alcohol abuse. Please click here for more information about our comprehensive program.
What about our new campaign?
The Most of Us campaign focuses on three areas. All of these statistics were compiled from the Wellness Survey that the WRC conducted November 2007 to a randomly selected sample of 5,000 MU students (N = 1,296).
Most of Us Make healthy Choices:
97.3% have eaten before and/or during drinking
91.3% have chosen beverages with alcohol contents they knew
66.1% have avoided mixing different types of alcohol
62.7% have chosen not to drink alcohol at a party
57.4% have alternated non-alcoholic drinks with alcohol
90.4% of MU students are not regular smokersMost of Us Make Smart Choices:
77% of MU students chose not to drink if they had academic obligations the next day
74% have not done poorly on a test/project due to drinking
63% of MU students do not drink alcohol Sunday through Thursday
87% become less interested in a person if they get drunkMost of Us Make Safe Choices:
94.3% only drank in environments where they knew they would be safe
91.6% have used a designated driver who has consumed no alcohol
91.0% let their friends know where they were going
80.0% have refused a ride or never been with an intoxicated driver
95.0% have kept their drinks in their possession at all times
95.2% have traveled in groups
74.2% have counted their drinksMost of US MU enjoy...
Hanging out with friends (88%)
Spending time with family (83%)
Watching movies (61%)
Listening to music (68%)
Playing sports/working out (68%)
More than partying with alcoholMost of Us feel that…
friends (75%)
people (45%),
music (64%),
atmosphere (66%)
and dancing (40%)
made a bar or a party more fun than the alcohol!!!What can faculty and staff do?
There is a Native American saying that states…”It takes a village to raise a child”. This saying is quite appropriate with the issue of alcohol and other drug abuse among college students. All of us need to work together to create an environment that supports and encourages students to make good decisions about alcohol. Keeping students accountable, not making jokes about alcohol or condoning use is imperative. In addition it is important to help students who may be at risk for alcohol problems to know what resources are available. On the WRC web site there is a document entitled; “Guide to Helping Emotionally Distressed Students”.
The WRC uses a responsible decision making approach throughout the year challenging MU students to make informed, responsible decisions regarding their health through educational outreach and marketing efforts. The WRC accomplishes this through an extensive peer education program. The 14 ADAPT peer educators and the 15 PAWS (Peers Advocating Wellness Solutions) peer educators are student volunteers who educate students on a variety of alcohol and drug issues and wellness issues such as healthy eating, stress, fitness and tobacco. Each year they present educational programs impacting over 5000 students in the residence halls, Greek houses, classrooms and local high schools and junior highs. They meet weekly and go through extensive training.
In addition the WRC provides its Don’t Cancel That Class to faculty which is a substitute teacher service so that faculty can call the WRC and the director will present a program on during class time so that the class does not have to be cancelled in case the faculty member cannot be in class. The WRC director also services a guest lecturer as well.
The WRC also has student organizations such as steering committees that plan Alcohol Responsibility Month, Wellness Month, Safe Spring Break, Safe Holiday Break and a Sexual Responsibility Week. Two groups called PARTY (Promoting Awareness and Responsibility Through You) and GAMMA (Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol) also help peers make responsible decisions by planning events and services throughout the year.
The WRC has created a comprehensive social norming approach. The two underlying assumptions of this strategy are that students drink in similar amounts that they perceive that other students are drinking and that students overestimate the amount that other students drink. Social norming educates students as to what their peers are actually drinking. As a result they will drink less. The WRC creates a comprehensive research driven marketing plan with clear and consistent messages informing students about the actual alcohol and other drug use of their peers as well as informing students about the risks and consequences of substance use. The WRC creates weekly social norming ads in our student newspaper, created posters, bookmarks, mouse pads for all computers labs, etc.
This marketing plan has been coupled with interactive educational outreach programs that have incorporated social norming messages. These programs, facilitated by trained peer educators, have helped students openly discuss their misperceptions. The staff also provides social norming trainings for the most influential people in students' life like faculty, staff, parents and administrators such as admissions recruiters and academic advisors.
A harm reduction approach is used by creating safety nets for students who chose to drink. The WRC implements the CHEERS to the Designated Driver program that provides free soft drinks in local bars for people who chose to be designated drivers.
A wonderful resource that the WRC provides is BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening Intervention for College Students). The purpose of BASICS is to provide information about the effects of alcohol, the risks involved with alcohol consumption, and steps a student can take toward reducing or eliminating high-risk drinking, along with assessing a students current drinking behaviors and the consequences of their use. BASICS is composed of two segments, a group workshop and a one-on-one session with a workshop coordinator. BASICS is used as a referral service primarily for Campus Judicial and Residential Life for students who break laws or rules related to alcohol but it could be used as a referral service for faculty and staff who are worried about a students alcohol use.
An environmental management approach has been implemented effectively through the Access to Alcohol Action Team, a campus/community coalition. The Access to Alcohol Action Team is composed of representatives from Wellness Resource Center, Greek Life, Residential Life, Campus Judicial, Campus Police, faculty, Athletics, Alumni Relations, Admissions, News Bureau, etc. In addition members include students from the Missouri Students Association, and community people such as bar owners, neighborhood associations, liquor control, city police and city government, local colleges, and parents.
The WRC has also created a statewide coalition called Partners in Prevention (PIP) which is composed of prevention professionals from public institutions of higher education in Missouri. In addition, relevant state agencies (the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, Missouri Department of Liquor Control and the Missouri Division of Highway Safety) are also members. PIP collaboratively develops strategies for reducing and preventing high-risk drinking among Missouri's college students. The PIP encourages and nurtures collaboration through monthly meeting/inservices, a two-day team training, a state conference, a newsletter, web resources, and various publications and social norming efforts. PIP is underwritten by the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
A sister coalition called PIEC (Partners In Environmental Change) has also been created works collaboratively with PIP and is composed of law enforcement and judicial people from all 12 campuses. PIEC meets at the same time as PIP and works to help created campus/community coalitions and environmental change on each of the 12 campuses. PIEC is underwritten also from a grant from the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
Services provided by the Wellness Resource Center
The ADAPT peer educators are a group of 30 students who volunteer to educate students and community members on a variety of wellness issues ranging from alcohol and drug issues to stress management. Each year, the ADAPT peer educators alone present over 150 educational programs impacting over 5000 students. The peer educators are the backbone of ADAPT's prevention efforts. They meet weekly and go through extensive training. You must go through a selection process to be chosen.
PAWS (Peers Advocating Wellness Solutions) Peer Educators
One of the most significant changes that occurred recently has been the expansion of our peer education program to include wellness peer educators. They are very similar to the ADAPT peer educators except the topics they present are typically healthy eating, how to help a friend with an eating disorder, how to start an exercise program, self esteem and body image, stress reduction, tobacco, cancer prevention awareness, etc. They also sponsor numerous health screenings throughout the year called Fit Stops. They meet weekly and go through extensive training. You must go through a selection process to be chosen.
Nutrition Counseling
Upper class nutrition students provide free nutrition analysis and counseling throughout the year in the Wellness Resource Center. Students, faculty and staff can make a 30-minute appointment to have a nutrition analysis done.
Resource Library
The Wellness Resource Center Resource Library offers students, faculty and staff with a wide range of educational materials. These materials are often used to help students write papers and speeches or to help themselves or a friend who might have an alcohol or other drug problem. Resources also exist on more general wellness issues such as stress reduction, nutrition, self-esteem, exercise and fitness, etc. Packets have been created that contain information about our most frequently asked questions. Self-assessments and other interactive computer programs are also available.
The BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening Intervention for College Students) Referral Workshops for students who have been caught in violation of alcohol or other drug policies or who are concerned about their own use. The students assess themselves and discuss how they feel substances have affected their lives.
Don't Cancel That Class
The Don't Cancel that Class program has WRC staff presenting educational programs in classrooms as a guest lecturer or when professors cannot attend class and needs a substitute. Over 50 classroom presentations take place each academic year.
Alcohol 101 +
Alcohol 101+ is a virtual reality CD-ROM that allows a student to participate in a variety of typical scenarios facing a student when attending social events. This very interactive game educates as well as entertains.
PARTY (Promoting Awareness & Responsibility Through You) is a campus wide peer educator organization whose purpose is to organize campus and community activities and programs that promote responsible decision making.
GAMMA (Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol) is composed of Greek students who are interested in issues related to responsible alcohol use. Representatives of many fraternities and sororities volunteer to help plan events and services for their fellow Greek students.
Steering Committees
Any interested student can also volunteer to become a member of student steering committees. The Alcohol Responsibility Month Steering Committee meets from April through October to create, plan and implement Alcohol Responsibility Month. The Wellness Month Steering Committee meets February through April to create, plan and implement Wellness Month. The steering committees meet weekly and are open to anyone.
CHEERS to the Designated Driver was started in 1986 by a group of student volunteers. CHEERS works through local bars and restaurants to help ensure that people willing to be the designated driver for their group will receive free soft drinks. CHEERS creates lots of promotional items to advertise the designated driver program on campus and in the community. This is a state-wide program that is headquartered out of the WRC office and is funded by the Missouri Division of Highway Safety.
The WRC provides mini health screenings at various locations on campus as well as in the WRC. These screenings include body fat composition; blood pressure/pulse, nutrition analysis, diabetes screening, flexibility, and information of a variety of health related issues. Simply call the WRC and a fit stop can be scheduled.
Major Prevention Events Throughout the Year
The two most extensive events during the year are Alcohol Responsibility Month in October and Wellness Month in April. Each of these efforts has typically 20 events each and impact over 10,000 students. Other major events during the year include Safe Holiday Break, Sexual Responsibility Week, Safe Spring Break, The Great American Smoke Out, and National Nutrition Week. These efforts are all created, planned and implemented by student steering committees.
The WRC has created a comprehensive social norming approach that targets our most at risk populations, freshman, but is also impacting the rest of campus as well. The WRC creates a comprehensive research driven communications plan with clear and consistent messages informing students about the actual alcohol and other drug use of their peers as well as informing students about the risks and consequences of substance use.
This communications plan was creative, innovative and extensive and has been incorporated into all aspects of a freshman students' environment; where they live, study, eat, socialize and learn. The WRC creates weekly social norming ads in our student newspaper, created posters, and created social marketing table tents for the dining halls. This communications plan has been coupled with interactive educational outreach programs that have incorporated social norming messages. These programs, facilitated by trained peer educators, have helped freshman openly discuss their misperceptions and how they came up with them. Peer educators presented social norming outreach programs in freshman experience classes, presentations in residence halls, Greek houses, and predominantly freshman classes.
The WRC also has provided trainings for the most influential people in students' life. The WRC has trained the student leaders, faculty, staff, parents and administrators who impact, especially freshman. It is important to help these impactors understand their roles in the social norming efforts. The WRC trains admissions recruiters and student outreach teams. Promotional items are created with social norming messages such as mouse pads and distributed in all the computer labs on campus.
The WRC feels that it is vitally important to have all the impactors in a freshman students' life communicate the same message. If the WRC office is communicating that most students make good choices but the pledge educators, faculty, residential life staff, or admissions recruiter are telling freshman that everyone drinks or that the only fun thing to do on campus is drink then our message is significantly compromised. The WRC feels that everyone needs to be on the same page communicating the same message.
