PROVIDING NORMATIVE FEEDBACK ON THE INTERNET TO STIMULATE SELF-EVALUATION OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND CANNABIS USE

Abstract

An internet application was created to provide users with personalized normative feedback regarding their use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis. Ninety-nine participants completed the alcohol assessment, 52 completed the cannabis assessment, and 60 completed the smoking assessment. Respondents expressed interest in the expansion of the site to include illicit use of prescription medications, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine. As far as the authors know, the present study, at time of preparation of this manuscript, is the first to examine e-mail broadcasting as a recruitment strategy, and to use normative feedback regarding cannabis usage over the internet. The use of personalized feedback over the internet offers an extremely costeffective approach to helping substance users who may not access traditional treatment services.