Development of the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey: Initial Findings and Future Directions

TLDR

The study aims to develop an assessment tool to help universities evaluate the effectiveness of substance‑abuse prevention efforts. The authors created the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey, a self‑report instrument designed to assess the nature, scope, and consequences of alcohol and drug use among college students. The survey has been administered to nearly half a million students on 800 campuses, producing the largest national database on substance use in higher education, and its findings—on consumption patterns, consequences, underage drinking, and regional differences—inform campus health services and guide future survey projects.

Abstract

To assist universities in obtaining accurate information about the effectiveness of their efforts to prevent substance abuse, a committee of grantees of the US Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) developed an assessment tool known as the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey. This self-report instrument is designed to examine the nature, scope, and consequences of the use of alcohol and other drugs among college students. To date, the survey has been administered to nearly half a million students on 800 campuses, and the findings have been aggregated to create what is presently the largest national database on substance use in the higher education setting. The Core survey has often been used by campus health service personnel in assessment and programming efforts. This article describes the development and administration of the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey and provides a sampling of findings from the 1989-1991 FIPSE drug prevention group. This cohort included 58,625 students who completed the survey. Findings regarding consumption patterns, consequences of use, underage drinking, and regional differences are delineated, along with information regarding the future direction of Core survey projects.