What is the e-CHUG for High School Aged Youth?

The e-CHUG (electronic-Check-Up to Go for High School Age Youth) is not a static assessment questionnaire. The e-CHUG is an evidence-based, dynamic, on-line alcohol intervention and personalized feedback tool for high school age youth.

Drawing on the well researched successes of Motivational Interviewing (Miller & Rollnick, 2002), Social Norms feedback (Haines & Spear, 1996), Self-Efficacy and Peer Modeling (Bandura, 1994), the e-CHUG is designed to:

• Motivate and Support youth to maintain Abstinence from alcohol and
• Reduce the Consumption of and Risks associated with alcohol for those who have already begun dinking

Developed at San Diego State University

Created by a team of psychologists at San Diego State University, the e-CHUG development was supported by a grant from the Aztec Parent's Association. This Parent/Professional Collaboration sought to develop prevention and intervention tools that students themselves would embrace, encourage their peers to use...and demonstrate significant reductions in destructive alcohol use.

In contrast to the typical 'educational approach', high school age youth are given personalized feedback that is particularly salient to them. Based upon their own reported use patterns they receive feedback on how their drinking compares with other youth their age, their personal risk factors, their relationship and health consequences, and their unique family risk factors.

e-CHUG is used with High School Age Youth in

• High Schools
• Health Clinics
• Community Prevention Programs
• DWI & DUI Programs

An Evidenced-Based Program

The e-CHUG program is currently used nearly 400 universities and colleges across 42 states and in Canada and Australia and six (6) controlled studies on five (5) campuses have all shown significant reductions in destructive alcohol use among students completing the e-CHUG online intervention. The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) "recognizes the e-CHUG as a true evidence-based approach that is showing significant promise." (Kevin Kruger, associate Director of NASPA). Kevin goes on to say "NASPA encourages campuses to give serious consideration to including evidence-based programs like the e-CHUG as a part of their comprehensive AOD prevention strategy."

Researchers and practitioners continue to document how brief web-based approaches using personalized feedback can make it more likely that drinkers, even hazardous drinkers, will respond with increased honesty and self-disclosure (Walters, Miller & Chiauzzi, 2005; Kypri et al., 2003, Paperny et al., 1990, Miller E.T., 2000), and report positive changes in health behavior (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2001).

Technical Description:

On the self-assessment page of the program, high school age youth are asked to complete a timeline follow-back chart that uses standardized drinking measures and questions about their drinking patterns. The data collected and computed include the quantity and frequency of drinking, caloric equivalence, peak weekly and monthly blood alcohol levels, normative comparisons, the amount and percent of income spent on alcohol, tolerance, genetic and other risk indicators. The youth completing the program are also presented with several true/false questions about alcohol designed to challenge their expectations regarding the effect of alcohol use.

The computer program uses algorithms with established conditional values and statements to generate personalized feedback based upon each student's unique input and profile. In addition to the personalized feedback, advice regarding how to cut down on drinking and reduce the risks associated with alcohol use, and local referral information are also provided.