Testing a Sustainable Implementation Process within the Air Force for the Broad Use of the Social Norms Intervention (Social Norms) – Phase II

Partnership/Type: Air Force
Status: Completed Project

This project explores modifications to the implementation design executed in Phase I that yielded successful results as measured by a reduction in Alcohol Related Misconduct (ARM) incidents from 2012-2013 at eight participating Air Force Bases. In Phase II, from May to September of 2015, actual and misperceived norms regarding alcohol use and misuse were documented via an anonymous survey of young Airmen age 18-24 at fourteen participating Air Force installations. A 40% response was set as the minimal percentage of an installation’s 18-24 year old population required to be able to receive installation specific messages. Six installations achieved a response rate of 40% or more, and received messages using data collected at their respective bases. Eight bases did not achieve a 40% response rate; however, they received messages created with their respective aggregate data. Data was used to create targeted media that intensively exposed young Airmen to actual and corrective, normative messages around alcohol use with a goal of reducing harmful and risky behavior caused by alcohol misuse. In early 2016, an additional seven installations were selected for participation in a third treatment option that offers exposure to messages containing aggregate data from all Phase II surveyed bases, with no base specific data collection.