A Formative Evaluation of a Web-Based Intervention for Women With a Sexual Assault History and Heavy Alcohol Use

Objective: Sexual assault (SA) among college women is widespread and is associated with negative consequences including heavy drinking. However, women with SA histories are rarely the target of alcohol interventions, and existing alcohol interventions do not address the distal factors that contribute to heavy drinking in this group, such as emotion regulation and distress tolerance. The goal of this study was to evaluate a newly developed web-based alcohol intervention targeting college women with SA histories. Method: Heavy-drinking college women with SA histories (N = 21) reviewed a series of brief web-based alcohol reduction and regulatory (i.e., emotion regulation, distress tolerance) skill modules and provided feedback on each module. Results: Directed content analysis of open-ended survey responses resulted in three themes: intervention content (i.e., what was said in the intervention), intervention delivery (i.e., the look and feel of the intervention), and areas for improvement (i.e., how to enhance the intervention). Quantitative ratings indicated that participants found skill modules moderately relevant and engaging, and qualitative themes and subthemes highlighted important areas for improvement. Conclusions: Incorporating user feedback early in the intervention development process provides critical information for content and delivery modifications that may enhance the target population's engagement and satisfaction with the final product. Clinical Impact Statement Findings highlight the importance of involving target populations in intervention development prior to conducting costly clinical trials. Formative evaluations provide valuable feedback for intervention refinement and modification. This process may increase the likelihood of creating web-based interventions in a user-friendly and engaging way that meets the target population where they are.