Developing and Assessing the Acceptability and Appropriateness of Brief Alcohol Intervention Modules Among Trans and Gender Diverse College Students
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Date
2024-01-09
Authors
Ehlinger, Peter
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Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
TGD individuals experience elevated levels of stress due to discrimination and oppression and, as a result, many TGD people drink alcohol to cope, resulting in elevated levels of high-risk alcohol use and disproportionate experiences of alcohol-related consequences compared to cisgender peers. TGD college students may be more likely to engage in alcohol use by virtue of typical age-related trajectories for alcohol use and risk factors associated with the college environment, including marginalization. However, there is an absence of extant brief alcohol interventions that serve TGD college students in an affirming way. One type of brief alcohol intervention, a personalized feedback intervention, may be best suited to meeting the needs of TGD college students because they reduce barriers associated with fearing negative interactions with healthcare or counseling personnel. Personalized feedback interventions utilize modules that gather and present different data about a student’s alcohol use and related risk factors, as well as presenting psychoeducation to support use of skills to reduce the likelihood of experiencing alcohol-related harms. To increase the likelihood that new intervention materials will be utilized by TGD college students, it is critical to seek feedback from stakeholders on the acceptability and appropriateness of these materials during the development process. This dissertation utilized a community-based research approach to first develop three novel PFI modules addressing marginalization stress, drinking alcohol to cope, and fostering resilience, and then assess the relative acceptability and appropriateness of the modules from the perspective of TGD college students. Acceptability and appropriateness were assessed first through focus group and interview discussions with TGD college student stakeholder consultants and next through an online survey of TGD college students from across the United States. A framework analysis of participants’ qualitative responses yielded three main themes: relevance of the material in each module (e.g., topics that were most useful to participants), affirming aspects of the material in each module (e.g., the use of correct pronouns and gender-neutral language), and requests for improvements in the material in each module (e.g., edits to module conciseness and organization). Overall, TGD stakeholders supported the preliminary acceptability and appropriateness of the novel modules, setting the stage for a possible feasibility pilot of the modules as part of a larger, integrated personalized feedback intervention.
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Keywords
Acceptability, Alcohol, Appropriateness, Minority Stress, Personalized Feedback Intervention, Trans and Gender Diverse