Effectiveness of web-based intervention for reducing problematic alcohol use in Korean female college students

Objective: This study applies and evaluates the effectiveness of the online-based program Brief Empowerment Program for Alcohol Use Monitor among female university students in South Korea. Methods: Participants were current drinkers scoring three or higher on the AUDIT-C test. A total of 70 students participated in the experimental group and 113 students in the control group. The study used a pretest-posttest control group design and an eight-week web-based intervention with a repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: The experimental group displayed a significant decrease (11.7%) of the AUDIT-C score, indicating the intervention's effectiveness. Conclusions: The present study emphasizes the implementation of effective interventions to reduce heavy drinking. The significant effect of the intervention is related to the characteristics of the web-based program. A web-based program is more appropriate than an in-person intervention for female college students with problematic drinking when considering Korean society's context due to concerns about stigma.