Key findings

Over the longer-term, after four or more months of follow-up, there was only a small effect of social norms information on binge drinking, drinking quantity, and peak BAC. For these outcomes, effects were not any different across the different delivery modes.Only small effects were found for web feedback and individual face-to-face feedback on frequency of alcohol consumed. Only a small effect of individual face-to-face feedback on alcohol related problems, but no effects were found for mailed or web feedback. Similarly, no effects were found for group face-to-face feedback or for marketing campaigns on frequency of alcohol consumed and typical BAC.

Our reading of these results is that, although we found some significant effects of social norms information, the strength of the effects over the longer-term is very small and therefore this information is unlikely to provide any advantage in practice.