Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and moderators of E-Interventions versus assessment only (AO) controls in the reduction of alcoholic drinks per week (DPW) in university students.
Study design and methods: Cochrane library, CINAEL, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched up to June 2017. Studies were included if they were: an RCT, assessed the effectiveness of E-Interventions at reducing DPW, and employed university/college students. 23 studies (N = 7,614) were included and quality was assessed using the JADAD scale.
Results: Weighted mean effect sizes were calculated using random-effects models. These showed a small, significant effect of E-Interventions at reducing the number of alcoholic DPW. Moderator analysis found a significant advantage for web-based personalised feedback interventions compared to other E-Interventions.
Conclusions: E-Interventions show a small, significant effect at reducing mean alcoholic DPW. Personalised feedback E-Interventions showed the strongest effect.
Keywords: Alcohol; electronic interventions; meta-analysis; students.