Social Norms 2.0: Facebook Delivery of Personalised Normative Feedback to Reduce Problem Drinking at University

Abstract

University students overestimate peer alcohol use, resulting in them drinking up to perceived norms. Social norms theory suggests correcting misperceptions with personalised normative feedback (PNF) can reduce alcohol consumption. Alcohol use is common during adolescent identity exploration, yet there is a dearth of research into how drinking norms interact with adolescent identity construction. The rise of social media has fundamentally changed the conditions of adolescent identity construction. Recent findings show portraying oneself as a drinker is a socially desirable component of Facebook identity, perpetuating an online culture that normalises binge drinking. Despite the ubiquity of social media and its effect on adolescent attitudes and behaviour, no study to date has utilised the considerable influence of social media to correct misperceived drinking norms. The current study aimed to address this gap by testing the feasibility of delivering a PNF intervention using Facebook. Actual and perceived descriptive and injunctive drinking norms of 244 university students were collected. Ninety-five hazardous drinkers were identified and randomly allocated to a control group or intervention group that received PNF via Facebook private messages. One month post-intervention, alcohol consumption by the intervention group in the past month significantly reduced compared to baseline and controls. Reductions were maintained three months post-intervention. Improvements in peer drinking norm accuracy were found and correlated with reductions in alcohol consumption. This is the first study to use Facebook to deliver a social norms intervention, resulting in clinically significant reductions in alcohol use. Facebook has many advantages over traditional PNF delivery, providing an innovative method for tackling problem drinking at university. These results have implications for the role social media may play in future strategies to create cultural change around heavy drinking.