Disorders - Alcohol Use
Hutschemaekers, M. H. M., Woud, M. L., Becker, E. S., Rinck, M.
Aims: This study examined whether alcohol-related interpretation biases (IBs) can be reduced by means of cognitive bias modification - interpretation (CBM-I) training. Also, the training's generalization effects and the moderating role of executive control (EC) were examined. Methods: Participants were 98 young hazardous drinkers. Half of the participants were trained to interpret ambiguous alcohol-related scenarios in an alcohol-unrelated way (neutral CBM-I), the other half completed alcohol-related ambiguous open-ended scenarios (control CBM-I). Alcohol-related IBs were assessed with open-ended ambiguous alcohol-related scenarios, completed by participants. The completions were coded by participants (self-coding) and by two independent coders (conservatively and liberally). Results: Neutral CBM-I, compared to control CBM-I, did not decrease alcohol-related IBs for the conservative and self-coding. For the liberal coding, both groups showed a decrease in alcohol-related IBs pre to post training. Moreover, there were no group differences in interpreting ambiguous, alcohol-related pictures during a signal-detection task. At the behavioral level, there was no reduction in alcohol use for either group at one week follow-up. Finally, EC did not moderate training effects. Conclusions: Although CBM-I effects were largely absent; the findings emphasize that more research into the working mechanisms of alcohol CBM-I is needed to test its potential in the context of hazardous drinking.
Sucht, 62(6) : 366-373
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Attention/cognitive bias modification
Jansen, S. C., Haveman-Nies, A., Bos-Oude Groeniger, I., Izeboud, C., de-Rover, C., van't-Veer, P.
Background: Underage alcohol drinking is a severe public health problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of a Dutch community-based alcohol intervention on alcohol use of adolescents in the second and fourth grade of high school. Methods: The community intervention integrated health education, regulation, and enforcement in multiple settings, targeting adolescents as well as their environments. In order to evaluate effectiveness, a quasi-experimental pretest posttest design was used based on three independent cross-sectional surveys in 2003, 2007 and 2011, resulting in an analytical sample of approximately 5700 and 3100 adolescents in the intervention and reference region, respectively. For the main analyses, we compared the change in recent alcohol use and binge drinking in the intervention region with the reference region. Linear regression was used to obtain (adjusted) prevalence of alcohol use. Results: During the study period, there was an overall decline in the prevalence of alcohol use. After 1 year of intervention, the decline was 11% (P<. 0.01) and 6% (P<. 0.01) stronger in the intervention region as compared to the reference region, for recent alcohol use and binge drinking respectively. This effect was restricted to the second grade and remained after 5 years of intervention. No clear subgroup effects or confounding were observed for ethnicity, gender or educational level. Conclusions: The Dutch community intervention appears to be effective on the short- and long-term in reducing the prevalence of recent alcohol use and binge drinking of (underage) adolescents in the second grade of high school. Copyright © 2015 The Authors.
Drug And Alcohol Dependence, 159 : 125-132
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions, Other service delivery and improvement interventions
Gatta, Michela, Svanellini, Lorenza, Rotondo, Cristina Gatto, Salis, Maurizio, Schiff, Sami, Ferruzza, Emilia
[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 12(1) of Journal of Groups in Addiction & Recovery (see record 2017-04710-007). The list of authors was incorrect in the original online and print publications. The correct list of author names is Michela Gatta, Lorenza Svanellini, Cristina Gatto Rotondo, Maurizio Salis, Sami Schiff, Emilia Ferruzza.] The present study assessed the efficacy of focus groups (FGs) used as part of a prevention-action project targeting students in their first and second years of Italian high school (9th and 10th graders). A sample of 661 students was randomly divided into an experimental group participating in an FG activity and a control group only attending a brief informative meeting. Two questionnaires were administered to measure alcohol consumption and any psychopathological vulnerability, respectively, with test-retest modality. Among the most important results, 52.4% of students drank alcoholic beverages on Saturday evenings and this consumption increased with age; in addition, alcohol consumption was associated with psychobehavioral problems of the externalizing type. The FGs proved effective in reducing the known tendency for alcohol consumption to increase with age, in terms of both the frequency of ingestion of alcoholic beverages and the quantity of alcohol involved. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)
Journal of Groups in Addiction & Recovery, 11(1) : 3-20
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Psychoeducation, Other Psychological Interventions
Gilmore, A. K., Bountress, K. E.
College students are at high risk for engaging in heavy episodic drinking for experiencing sexual assault. Students under the age of 21 are at particular risk. Further, drinking to cope with anxiety motives are associated with sexual assault history and drinking, and thus should be examined when targeting both sexual assault and drinking in college populations. The current study presents secondary outcomes of a randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of decreasing coping with anxiety drinking motives among underage heavy episodic drinking college women (n = 264). Participants completed a baseline survey online and were randomly assigned to one of the five conditions: alcohol use only intervention condition, sexual assault risk reduction only condition, combined alcohol use and sexual assault risk reduction condition, assessment only control, minimal assessment only control. Control conditions were combined due to a lack of significant differences on main and secondary outcomes. Results indicated that compared to the control conditions, the web-based combined alcohol use and sexual assault risk reduction intervention and the sexual assault only intervention were effective at decreasing drinking to cope with anxiety motives among those with stronger drinking to cope with anxiety motives at baseline. However, the alcohol-only intervention was not. This suggests that an alcohol intervention in itself may not be the most effective way to reduce drinking to cope motives among heavy episodic drinking college women under the age of 21. Instead, focused interventions on sexual assault may be warranted in combination with alcohol use reduction interventions due to the high rates of sexual assault victimization among this population.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 40 : 70A
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Grant, S. M., Bourne, K. A., Hurwitz, H., Rabjohns, J. T., Reid, A. E.
Research is needed that examines the efficacy of individual active ingredients included in multi-component personalized feedback interventions. College students, especially females and heavier drinkers, prefer personalized information on calories consumed while drinking to other aspects of personalized feedback and also rate it as the most useful. Posters with the number of miles needed to walk to burn off calories from soft drinks are more effective at reducing soft drink purchases than are posters with calorie information alone. We therefore examined whether calorie information is sufficient for decreasing college students' intentions to drink. We hypothesized that providing "applied" calorie information in the form of miles needed to run to burn off the calories from alcohol would be more effective at reducing intentions to drink than numerical calorie information alone. Further, calorie information should have a larger impact on women and heavier drinkers. Participants (N = 109) reported gender, drinks per week, and drinks per drinking day in the previous month before being randomly assigned to one of three conditions: assessment only control, numerical calories, or applied calories. Participants in the numerical calorie condition reviewed a chart depicting calories in alcoholic drinks, as well as the number of calories they consumed in an average drinking episode. Applied calorie participants received the numerical condition plus the number of miles needed to run to burn off those calories. All participants then reported future intentions for drinks per week and drinks per drinking day. There were no main effects of intervention condition on intended drinks per week (DPW, p = 0.15) or drinks per drinking day (DPDD; p = 0.30). There was a significant condition by sex interaction for intended DPW(p = 0.03). Males in the applied calorie condition had lower intentions to drink than those in the numerical calorie (p = 0.03) or assessment only control conditions (p = 0.01); the numerical and control conditions did not differ (p = 1.00). However, for females, there were no differences based on condition (p = 0.94). There was a marginal condition by sex interaction predicting number of intended DPDD (p = 0.08). The pattern of effects mirrored that for DPW, but none of the pairwise comparisons reached significance. Baseline drinks per drinking day did not significantly moderate the intervention effect on either intended DPW or DPDD, indicating that the effect of condition was the same for heavier and lighter drinkers. These results suggest that applied calorie information, but not numerical calorie information alone, is efficacious at reducing males' intentions to drink. Future research is needed on how calorie information can be used to lower females' intentions to drink and whether these observed changes in intentions translate into behavior change.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 40 : 70A
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Dietary advice, dietary change
Henderson, C. E., Wevodau, A. L., Henderson, S. E., Colbourn, S. L., Gharagozloo, L., North, L. W., Lotts, V. A.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Substance use disorders among youth remain a serious public health problem. Although research has overwhelmingly supported the use of evidenced-based interventions, one of the primary limitations of the current evidence base is that for the vast majority of treatments, the developers of the treatments are also the ones conducting research on them, raising the possibility of allegiance bias.
METHODS: The present study was an independently conducted randomized controlled trial (n=126) comparing an evidenced-based treatment for adolescent substance use, Adolescent-Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA), and assertive continuing care (ACC), to services as usual (SAU) provided by a juvenile probation department. Latent growth curve modeling was used to compare the treatments on change in substance use assessed by the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months following treatment entry.
RESULTS: All youth evidenced a substantial reduction in substance use frequency and substance-related problems following treatment; however, youth treated with A-CRA/ACC evidenced a substantially greater decrease in substance-related problems.
CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Results are consistent with studies conducted by A-CRA/ACC model developers supporting the effectiveness of the clinical approach and, because the outcomes resulted from an independent replication, are encouraging for the transportation potential of A-CRA/ACC.
Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.
American Journal on Addictions, 25(3) : 233-40
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Substance Use Disorders (any), Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Psychoeducation, Other Psychological Interventions, Case management
Jackson, Christine, Ennett, Susan T., Reyes, H., Hayes, Kim A., Dickinson, Denise M., Choi, Seulki, Bowling, J.
This 4-year efficacy trial tested whether a home-based, self-administered parenting program could have a long-term effect on children's cognitive susceptibility to alcohol use, and it tested hypothesized moderators and mediators of any such program effect. Using a two-group randomized controlled design, 1,076 children (540 treatment; 536 control; mean age of 9.2 years at baseline) completed telephone interviews prior to randomization and follow-up interviews 12, 24, 36, and 48 months post-baseline. Mothers of children randomized to treatment received a 5-month-long parenting program during year 1, followed by two 1-month-long boosters in years 2 and 3. Exposure to the program was significantly inversely associated with susceptibility to alcohol use 48 months post-baseline (b = -0.03, p = .04), with no variation in program effects by parental alcohol use or mother's race/ethnicity or education, suggesting broad public health relevance of the parenting program. Path analyses of simple indirect effects through each hypothesized mediator showed that program exposure positively influenced parental communication to counter pro-drinking influences in the family and media domains and parental rule setting 36 months post-baseline; these variables, in turn, predicted reduced susceptibility to alcohol use 48 months post-baseline. Parallel (multiple) mediation analysis showed that the program had a significant indirect effect on susceptibility through parental rule setting. Together, the findings indicate that internalization of protective alcohol-related expectancies and intentions is possible among children whose mothers provide early exposure to alcohol-specific socialization. Additional research is needed to link alcohol-specific socialization during childhood with adolescent drinking outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Prevention Science, 17(5) : 615-625
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions
Jander, A., Crutzen, R., Mercken, L., Candel, M., de-Vries, H.
BACKGROUND: Binge drinking among Dutch adolescents is among the highest in Europe. Few interventions so far have focused on adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. Because binge drinking increases significantly during those years, it is important to develop binge drinking prevention programs for this group. Web-based computer-tailored interventions can be an effective tool for reducing this behavior in adolescents. Embedding the computer-tailored intervention in a serious game may make it more attractive to adolescents.
OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess whether a Web-based computer-tailored intervention is effective in reducing binge drinking in Dutch adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. Secondary outcomes were reduction in excessive drinking and overall consumption during the previous week. Personal characteristics associated with program adherence were also investigated.
METHODS: A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among 34 Dutch schools. Each school was randomized into either an experimental (n=1622) or a control (n=1027) condition. Baseline assessment took place in January and February 2014. At baseline, demographic variables and alcohol use were assessed. Follow-up assessment of alcohol use took place 4 months later (May and June 2014). After the baseline assessment, participants in the experimental condition started with the intervention consisting of a game about alcohol in which computer-tailored feedback regarding motivational characteristics was embedded. Participants in the control condition only received the baseline questionnaire. Both groups received the 4-month follow-up questionnaire. Effects of the intervention were assessed using logistic regression mixed models analyses for binge and excessive drinking and linear regression mixed models analyses for weekly consumption. Factors associated with intervention adherence in the experimental condition were explored by means of a linear regression model.
RESULTS: In total, 2649 adolescents participated in the baseline assessment. At follow-up, 824 (31.11%) adolescents returned. The intervention was effective in reducing binge drinking among adolescents aged 15 years (P=.03) and those aged 16 years when they participated in at least 2 intervention sessions (P=.04). Interaction effects between excessive drinking and educational level (P=.08) and between weekly consumption and age (P=.09) were found; however, in-depth analyses revealed no significant subgroup effects for both interaction effects. Additional analyses revealed that prolonged use of the intervention was associated with stronger effects for binge drinking. Yet, overall adherence to the intervention was low. Analyses revealed that being Protestant, female, younger, a nonbinge drinker, and having a higher educational background were associated with adherence.
CONCLUSIONS: The intervention was effective for adolescents aged 15 and 16 years concerning binge drinking. Prevention messages may be more effective for those at the start of their drinking career, whereas other methods may be needed for those with a longer history of alcohol consumption. Despite using game elements, intervention completion was low.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: Dutch Trial Register: NTR4048; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=4048 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6eSJD3FiY).
Journal of Medical Internet Research, 18(2) : e29
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Georgie, J. M., Sean, H., Deborah, M. C., Matthew, H., Rona, C.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Peer-led interventions may offer a beneficial approach in preventing substance use, but their impact has not yet been quantified. We conducted a systematic review to investigate and quantify the effect of peer-led interventions that sought to prevent tobacco, alcohol and/or drug use among young people aged 11-21 years.
METHODS: Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to July 2015 without language restriction. We included randomized controlled trials only. Screening and data extraction were conducted in duplicate and data from eligible studies were pooled in a random effects meta-analysis.
RESULTS: We identified 17 eligible studies, approximately half of which were school-based studies targeting tobacco use among adolescents. Ten studies targeting tobacco use could be pooled, representing 13,706 young people in 220 schools. Meta-analysis demonstrated that the odds of smoking were lower among those receiving the peer-led intervention compared with control [odds ratio (OR) = 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.62-0.99, P = 0.040]. There was evidence of heterogeneity (I(2) = 41%, chi(2) 15.17, P = 0.086). Pooling of six studies representing 1699 individuals in 66 schools demonstrated that peer-led interventions were also associated with benefit in relation to alcohol use (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.65-0.99, P = 0.036), while three studies (n = 976 students in 38 schools) suggested an association with lower odds of cannabis use (OR = 0.70, 0.50-0.97, P = 0.034). No studies were found that targeted other illicit drug use.
CONCLUSIONS: Peer interventions may be effective in preventing tobacco, alcohol and possibly cannabis use among adolescents, although the evidence base is limited overall, and is characterized mainly by small studies of low quality.
Copyright © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.
Addiction, 111(3) : 391-407
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Alcohol Use, Cannabis Use
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Other service delivery and improvement interventions
Kirsch, M., Gruber, I., Ruf, M., Kiefer, F., Kirsch, P.
It has been shown that in alcoholic patients, alcohol-related cues produce increased activation of reward-related brain regions like the ventral striatum (VS), which has been proposed as neurobiological basis of craving. Modulating this activation might be a promising option in the treatment of alcohol addiction. One approach might be real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback (rtfMRI NF). This study was set up to implement and evaluate a rtfMRI approach in a group of non-addicted heavy social drinkers. Thirty-eight heavy drinking students were assigned to a real feedback group (rFB, n = 13), a yoke feedback group (yFB, n = 13) and a passive control group (noFB, n = 12). After conducting a reward task as functional localizer to identify ventral striatal regions, the participants viewed alcohol cues during three NF training blocks in a 3 T MRI scanner. The rFB group received feedback from their own and the yFB from another participants' VS. The noFB group received no feedback. The rFB and the yFB groups were instructed to downregulate the displayed activation. Activation of the VS and prefrontal control regions was compared between the groups. We found significant downregulation of striatal regions specifically in the rFB group. While the rFB and the yFB groups showed significant activation of prefrontal regions during feedback, this activation was only correlated to the reduction of striatal activation in the rFB group. We conclude that rtfMRI NF is a suitable method to reduce striatal activation to alcohol cues. It might be a promising supplement to the treatment of alcoholic patients. Copyright © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction
Addiction Biology, 21(4) : 982-992
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Biofeedback, neurofeedback, audio/video feedback
Kim, Hye Kyung, Niederdeppe, Jeff
This study examines intervention approaches to improve the accuracy of risk judgments among college students with unrealistic optimism about alcohol-related problems. We conducted a randomized experiment with 2 self-affirmation (affirmed, nonaffirmed) and 3 message conditions (narrative, informational, no treatment control). Results indicate that providing risk information to unrealistic optimists, while concomitantly protecting their self-concept via either self-affirmation or narratives, may reduce defensive reactions and align their perceived risk more closely with their actual risk. Self-affirmation reduced unrealistic optimism only among those exposed to an informational message, not those exposed to a narrative. The narrative message appeared to increase perceived risk among unrealistic optimists via transportation and identification with the character. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of this work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)
Human Communication Research, 42(2) : 246-268
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions
Wechsberg, W. M., Zule, W. A., El-Bassel, N., Doherty, I. A., Minnis, A. M., Novak, S. D., Myers, B., Carney, T.
Background: This study examined the effects of the Couples Health CoOp intervention on heavy drinking, condom use, and HIV incidence. Methods: Thirty neighborhoods from one South African township were cluster randomized into three intervention arms: Couples Health CoOp (CHC), Women's Health CoOp/Men's Health CoOp (WHC/MHC), or a comparison arm. We recruited 290 men from informal drinking establishments who reported drinking alcohol regularly. We also recruited their main heterosexual sex partners. Results: At 6-month follow-up, men in the CHC arm were less likely to report heavy drinking (OR 0.47, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.90) and were more likely to report consistent condom use during the past month (OR 2.66, 95% CI: 1.23, 5.76) than men in the comparison arm. At baseline, 26% of women and 13% of men were HIV-infected; at 6-month follow-up, 16 females and 5 males had seroconverted. HIV incidence was significantly lower among women in the CHC arm (IRR 0.22, 95% CI: 0.04, 1.01) than in the WHC/MHC arm. Conclusions: A couples-based intervention focusing on intersecting risks for HIV can improve biobehavioral outcomes, underscoring the importance of engaging couples together in HIV prevention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
Drug And Alcohol Dependence, 161 : 307-315
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions