Reflections on How a University Binge Drinking Prevention Initiative Supports Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Student Alcohol Use

Abstract

What's Your Cap: Know When to Put a Lid on Drinking (WYC) is a student-led and research-based binge-drinking prevention campaign at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. It was formed to encourage a culture of alcohol moderation on the university campus through peer-to-peer engagement that emphasizes promotional items and activities of interest to students. Since its development in 2011, WYC has been guided by a logic model that promotes: 1) perceived and actual student drinking norms on campus; 2) benefits of a student-led initiative; and 3) merits of working with community partners. With the release of a clinical guide in Canada for alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral (SBIR) in 2013, WYC was prompted to consider whether it is a form of population-based SBIR. SBIR is commonly undertaken in the substance use field by health care practitioners, and this paper shares the potential for a student-based SBIR modification on a university campus.

Keywords: SBIR; alcohol; community partnerships; drinking norms; student-led initiative; university students.

Figure 1

In 2012, the U of S Student Binge Drinking Prevention Campaign rebranded itself to What’s Your Cap? Know When to Put a Lid on Drinking. During the rebranding, a logo was created in order for those on and off campus to recognize the campaign quickly and efficiently through its name and the image of colorful bottle caps.

Figure 2

Members of WYC decided it was necessary to create a visual that easily identifies the program mission, vision, objectives, and yearly goals of the campaign. The WYC Logic Model shares all of these points with those interested in what the overall drive of the campaign is, while also identifying specific goals for each year.