Research has proven that telling someone not to do something often causes the opposite reaction, said Matt Vogel, community health specialist at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Instead of telling students not to drink, a new program at UW-L will give students time to reflect and ultimately create their own behavior change, said Vogel.
UW-L is planning to start BASICS, or Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students, in the fall to reduce risky drinking behavior on campus.

The program is aimed at students who drink alcohol heavily or have experienced or are at risk for alcohol-related problems. It is already working for many other universities across the country, said Sara Burton, a community health adviser on campus.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism research shows that many schools that have used the program report positive outcomes, said Vogel.

Vogel and various other UW-L faculty and staff had some training on BASICS in mid- April.

The program uses motivational interviewing techniques such as open-ended questions, giving the student time to reflect on what they say, affirming positive things they are doing and meeting students where they are without judgment, said Vogel.

“The spirit of motivational interviewing is that people feel safe to open up and communicate freely,” he said. “It is like a dance, but you are not leading.”

Through the program, students also talk about their drinking behaviors such as how many drinks they have per week, which is then compared to others’ behaviors both locally and nationally based on statistics generated from a computer program, said Vogel.

Typically, students with more than one alcohol policy violation on or off campus such as underage drinking will be mandated to take the program, said Vogel. Also, students can take the program if they are concerned about their own drinking behavior, he said.

The program is one piece of the many ongoing initiatives to reduce risky drinking behavior at UW-L, said Burton. Other examples include “Awake and Alive,” an alcohol abuse program taught though the UW-L Counseling and Testing Center, the Safe Ride bus and Operation River Watch.

“It is one of the many layers we are working on to help our students make safer choices,” said Burton.

Kj Lang can be reached at (608) 791-8226 or klang@lacrossetribune.com.

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