The Effectiveness of Choice-F on Women Freshman College Students in Reducing Substance Use and Other Risk Behaviors

Introduction: The transition to college life is a key risk period for young women. The college years are the time many young people first experiment with alcohol, while others move from experimentation to frequent use (Ross, DeJong, 2008). Sex hormones can make women more sensitive than men to the effects of some drugs (NIDA, 2015). CHOICE-F is a prevention program targeting drug misuse, HIV/AIDS and crime among freshmen (first year college students). To understand the effects of the program on young women, a study was conducting involving 107 female freshmen of Chernihiv Pedagogical University, Ukraine. A survey conducted in September 2015 among female freshmen (17-18 years old) prior to program enrollment indicated that 11% of freshmen missed at least one session, 33% had physical or verbal conflicts, 9% smoked tobacco, 31% drank alcohol, and 88% made bad decisions (wrong choices) within the past 30 days. Given these findings, CHOICE-F was conducted with three groups of freshmen (future social teachers, psychologists and philologists). Three other groups constituted a control group. Some of the women participants from the intervention group were trainers of a prevention program for eighth-graders in spring of 2016.

METHODS: The rate of missing classes, participation in conflicts, attitude towards tobacco and alcohol, as well making decisions were assessed through a questionnaire including five questions about whether in the past 30 days they: 1) missed at least one class? 2) Had physical or verbal conflicts with other people? 3) Smoked tobacco? 4) Drank alcohol? 5) Made bad decisions? The options to respond were “Yes” and “No”. The post survey was conducted 30 days after implementing CHOICE-F. One year after the pre survey, September 2016, a follow-up survey was carried out. 

RESULTS: At the follow-up assessment, for those who participated in CHOICE-F, 23% of young women missed at least one session (control group – 75%), 49% had physical or verbal conflicts (control – 64%), 31% smoked tobacco (control – 49%), 54% drank alcohol (control -53%), and 46% made bad decisions (control – 60%) within the past 30 days.

CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate that in a year after the start of implementing the prevention program there are promising results with regards to class attendance, conflicts and smoking tobacco. As well, those who benefited from prevention efforts tend to make less bad decisions. However, CHOICE-F should be improved in prevention alcohol misuse. In order to receive more data concerning gender-specific prevention the research will be extended to other Universities of Ukraine.