Disorders - Alcohol Use
Prince, M. A., Reid, A., Carey, K. B., Neighbors, C.
Several alcohol interventions designed for college students attempt to correct exaggerated perceptions of alcohol use on college campuses through the use of personalized normative feedback. Personalized normative feedback has been shown to be effective in reducing drinking as a stand-alone intervention and as a part of a multicomponent intervention. This feedback is typically targeted to heavier drinkers to create a discrepancy between their personal beliefs and behavior and the actual lower levels of use on campus. However, little is known about how this form of normative feedback might affect lighter drinkers who learn that they are drinking less than the typical student at their school. The risk is a potential boomerang effect, or an increase in drinking among lighter drinkers receiving personalized feedback. The current study examined four samples from three geographic locations: two using computer-delivered personalized normative feedback alone and two delivering personalized feedback in the context of a brief motivational intervention. We found no evidence for a boomerang effect among lighter drinkers receiving personalized normative feedback in any of the four samples. These findings help to assuage fears of increasing drinking among lighter drinkers through widespread implementation of normative interventions for college students in the absence of screening for current drinking status. © 2014 American Psychological Association.
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 28(2) : 538-544
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy, Personalised feedback, normative feedback
, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Parker, A. E., Kupersmidt, J. B., Mathis, E. T., Scull, T. M., Sims, C.
Children need to be equipped with the skills to respond effectively to stress and prevent poor decision-making surrounding alcohol and tobacco use. Training and practice in mindfulness is one possible avenue for building children's skills. Recent research has revealed that mindfulness education in the classroom may play a role in enhancing children's self-regulatory abilities. Thus, the goal of the current study was to extend existing research in mindfulness education in classrooms and conduct an assessment of the feasibility and effectiveness of a new mindfulness education, substance abuse prevention program for fourth- and fifth-grade children (Master Mind). Two elementary schools were randomly assigned to be an intervention group (n = 71) or wait-list control group (n = 40). Students in the intervention group were taught the four-week Master Mind program by their regular classroom teachers. At pre- and postintervention time points, students completed self-reports of their intentions to use substances and an executive functioning performance task. Teachers rated students on their behavior in the classroom. Findings revealed that students who participated in the Master Mind program, as compared to those in the wait-list control condition, showed significant improvements in executive functioning skills (girls and boys), as well as a marginally significant increase in self-control abilities (boys only). In addition, significant reductions were found in aggression and social problems (girls and boys), as well as anxiety (girls only). No significant differences across groups were found for intentions to use alcohol or tobacco. Teachers implemented the program with fidelity; both teachers and students positively rated the structure and content of the Master Mind program, providing evidence of program satisfaction and feasibility. Although generalization may be limited by the small sample size, the findings suggest that mindfulness education may be beneficial in increasing self-regulatory abilities, which is important for substance abuse prevention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract).
Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 7(3) : 184-204
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Mindfulness based therapy
Musiat, P., Conrod, P., Treasure, J., Tylee, A., Williams, C., Schmidt, U.
Background: A large proportion of university students show symptoms of common mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, substance use disorders and eating disorders. Novel interventions are required that target underlying factors of multiple disorders. Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of a transdiagnostic trait-focused web-based intervention aimed at reducing symptoms of common mental disorders in university students. Method: Students were recruited online (n = 1047, age: M= 21.8, SD = 4.2) and categorised into being at high or low risk for mental disorders based on their personality traits. Participants were allocated to a cognitive-behavioural trait-focused (n = 519) or a control intervention (n = 528) using computerised simple randomisation. Both interventions were fully automated and delivered online (trial registration: ISRCTN14342225). Participants were blinded and outcomes were selfassessed at baseline, at 6 weeks and at 12 weeks after registration. Primary outcomes were current depression and anxiety, assessed on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) and Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD7). Secondary outcome measures focused on alcohol use, disordered eating, and other outcomes. Results: Students at high risk were successfully identified using personality indicators and reported poorer mental health. A total of 520 students completed the 6-week follow-up and 401 students completed the 12-week follow-up. Attrition was high across intervention groups, but comparable to other web-based interventions. Mixed effects analyses revealed that at 12-week follow up the trait-focused intervention reduced depression scores by 3.58 (p,.001, 95%CI [5.19, 1.98]) and anxiety scores by 2.87 (p = .018, 95%CI [1.31, 4.43]) in students at high risk. In high-risk students, between group effect sizes were 0.58 (depression) and 0.42 (anxiety). In addition, self-esteem was improved. No changes were observed regarding the use of alcohol or disordered eating. Conclusions: This study suggests that a transdiagnostic web-based intervention for university students targeting underlying personality risk factors may be a promising way of preventing common mental disorders with a low-intensity intervention. © 2014 Musiat et al.
PLoS ONE, 9(4) :
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders, Eating Disorders (any), Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Napper, L. E., LaBrie, J. W., Grimaldi, E. M., Choi, F. J.
A growing body of research suggests that parents continue to exert a significant influence on their child's alcohol-related attitudes and behavior even aftermatriculation to college (e.g., Abar & Turrisi, 2008; Turrisi & Ray, 2010). Relatively few studies, however, have addressed factors that promote or hinder parenting behaviors during this developmental period. The social norms approach (Berkowitz, 2004; Cialdini, Reno, & Kallgren, 1990) provides a useful theoretical framework for understanding factors that influence parenting behaviors. Consistent with this approach, perceptions of other parents' attitudes toward college drinking and perceptions of other parents' communication about alcohol are associated with parents' own attitudes and behaviors. For example, when parents believe other parents communicate infrequently about alcohol with their children, they are also likely to engage in less frequent communication. Further, parents often overestimate other college parents' approval of student drinking. Interventions that aim to correct misperceptions about other's parents' alcohol approval and encourage parents that most other parents do talk to their students about alcoholmay be beneficial. The current study evaluates a web-based personalized normative feedback (PNF) intervention administered to 403 parents of incoming first year college students during the summer prior tomatriculation. Parents were randomly assigned to either an online alcohol intervention (i.e., PNF) or control condition (i.e., information on student diet, exercise and sunscreen use norms). PNF included normative information about college student drinking, parents' attitudes toward alcohol, and parent alcohol-specific communication. Student outcomes were assessed at one-and six months into the academic year. Post intervention, in comparison to the control group, parents who received PNF reported a significant increase in motivation to discuss alcohol with their child. Students in the intervention condition, but not the control condition reported a significant increase alcohol-specific communication at one-month post intervention; however, there was no significant difference between conditions at 6 months.While the intervention appeared to promote greater parent communication in the short-term, this increase was not associated with reductions in student drinking or consequences.
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, 38 : 127A
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Personalised feedback, normative feedback
, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Miranda, R., Ray, L., Blanchard, A., Reynolds, E. K., Monti, P. M., Chun, T., Justus, A., Swift, R. M., Tidey, J., Gwaltney, C. J., Ramirez, J.
Adolescent alcohol use is associated with myriad adverse consequences and contributes to the leading causes of mortality among youth. Despite the magnitude of this public health problem, evidenced-based treatment initiatives for alcohol use disorders in youth remain inadequate. Identifying promising pharmacological approaches may improve treatment options. Naltrexone is an opiate receptor antagonist that is efficacious for reducing drinking in adults by attenuating craving and the rewarding effects of alcohol. Implications of these findings for adolescents are unclear; however, given that randomized trials of naltrexone with youth are non-existent. We conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled cross-over study, comparing naltrexone (50 mg/daily) and placebo in 22 adolescent problem drinkers aged 15-19 years (M = 18.36, standard deviation = 0.95; 12 women). The primary outcome measures were alcohol use, subjective responses to alcohol consumption, and alcohol-cue-elicited craving assessed in the natural environment using ecological momentary assessment methods, and craving and physiological reactivity assessed using standard alcohol cue reactivity procedures. Results showed that naltrexone reduced the likelihood of drinking and heavy drinking (P's ≤ 0.03), blunted craving in the laboratory and in the natural environment (P's ≤ 0.04), and altered subjective responses to alcohol consumption (P's ≤ 0.01). Naltrexone was generally well tolerated by participants. This study provides the first experimentally controlled evidence that naltrexone reduces drinking and craving, and alters subjective responses to alcohol in a sample of adolescent problem drinkers, and suggests larger clinical trials with long-term follow-ups are warranted. Treatment initiatives for alcohol misuse in youth remain inadequate. Pharmacological approaches may improve treatment options. Naltrexone reduces drinking in adults but implications of these findings for adolescents are unclear. This randomized crossover study compared naltrexone and placebo in 22 adolescent problem drinkers. Naltrexone reduced drinking, blunted craving, and altered subjective responses to alcohol. This study provides the first experimentally controlled test of naltrexone for adolescent alcohol misuse and suggests larger clinical trials with long-term follow-ups are warranted. © 2013 The Authors, Addiction Biology © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.
Addiction Biology, 19(5) : 941-954
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Biological Interventions (any)
, Medications used to treat substance abuse
Ridout, B., Campbell, A.
Introduction and Aims: University students usually overestimate peer alcohol use, resulting in them 'drinking up' to perceived norms. Social norms theory suggests correcting these inflated perceptions can reduce alcohol consumption. Recent findings by the current authors show portraying oneself as 'a drinker' is considered by many students to be a socially desirable component of their Facebook identity, perpetuating an online culture that normalises binge drinking. However, social networking sites have yet to be utilised in social norms interventions. Design and Methods: Actual and perceived descriptive and injunctive drinking norms were collected from 244 university students. Ninety-five students screened positive for hazardous drinking and were randomly allocated to a control group or intervention group that received social norms feedback via personalised Facebook private messages over three sessions. Results: At 1 month post-intervention, the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumed by intervention group during the previous month had significantly reduced compared with baseline and controls. Reductions were maintained 3 months post-intervention. Intervention group perceived drinking norms were significantly more accurate post-intervention. Discussion and Conclusions: This is the first study to test the feasibility of using Facebook to deliver social norms interventions. Correcting misperceptions of peer drinking norms resulted in clinically significant reductions in alcohol use. Facebook has many advantages over traditional social norms delivery, providing an innovative method for tackling problem drinking at university. These results have implications for the use of Facebook to deliver positive messages about safe alcohol use to students, which may counter the negative messages regarding alcohol normally seen on Facebook. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract).
Drug & Alcohol Review, 33(6) : 667-673
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Personalised feedback, normative feedback
, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Patton, R., Deluca, P., Kaner, E., Newbury-Birch, D., Phillips, T., Drummond, C.
Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the evidence base on alcohol screening and brief intervention for adolescents to determine age appropriate screening tools, effective brief interventions and appropriate locations to undertake these activities. Methods: A review of existing reviews (2003-2013) and a systematic review of recent research not included in earlier reviews. Results: The CRAFFT and AUDIT tools are recommended for identification of 'at risk' adolescents. Motivational interventions delivered over one or more sessions and based in health care or educational settings are effective at reducing levels of consumption and alcohol-related harm. Conclusion: Further research to develop age appropriate screening tools needs to be undertaken. Screening and brief intervention activity should be undertaken in settings where young people are likely to present; further assessment at such venues as paediatric emergency departments, sexual health clinics and youth offending teams should be evaluated. The use of electronic (web/smart-phone based) screening and intervention shows promise and should also be the focus of future research. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Medical Council on Alcohol.
Alcohol & Alcoholism, 49(2) : 207-212
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy, Other Psychological Interventions
O'Donnell, A., Anderson, P., Newbury-Birch, D., Schulte, B., Schmidt, C., Reimer, J., Kaner, E.
Aims: The aim of the study was to assess the cumulative evidence on the effectiveness of brief alcohol interventions in primary healthcare in order to highlight key knowledge gaps for further research.; Methods: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the effectiveness of brief alcohol intervention in primary healthcare published between 2002 and 2012.; Findings: Twenty-four systematic reviews met the eligibility criteria (covering a total of 56 randomized controlled trials reported across 80 papers). Across the included studies, it was consistently reported that brief intervention was effective for addressing hazardous and harmful drinking in primary healthcare, particularly in middle-aged, male drinkers. Evidence gaps included: brief intervention effectiveness in key groups (women, older and younger drinkers, minority ethnic groups, dependent/co-morbid drinkers and those living in transitional and developing countries); and the optimum brief intervention length and frequency to maintain longer-term effectiveness.; Conclusion: This overview highlights the large volume of primarily positive evidence supporting brief alcohol intervention effects as well as some unanswered questions with regards to the effectiveness of brief alcohol intervention across different cultural settings and in specific population groups, and in respect of the optimum content of brief interventions that might benefit from further research.;
Alcohol & Alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire), 49(1) : 66-78
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions
Watson, A., Watson, B.
The general aim of designated driver programs is to reduce the level of drink driving by encouraging potential drink drivers to travel with a driver who has abstained from (or at least limited) consuming alcohol. Designated driver programs appear to be quite widespread around the world, however a limited number have been subject to rigorous evaluation. This paper reports results from an outcome evaluation of a designated driver program called 'Skipper', which was trialled in a provincial city in Queensland, Australia. The outcome evaluation included surveys three weeks prior to (baseline), four months following (1st follow-up), and 16 months following (2nd follow-up) the commencement of the trial in both the 'intervention area' (baseline, n=202; 1st follow-up, n=211; 2nd follow-up, n=200) and a 'comparison area'(baseline, n=203; 1st follow-up, n=199; 2nd follow-up, n=201); and a comparison of random breath testing and crash data before and after the trial. The survey results indicate that awareness of the program in the intervention area was quite high four months following its introduction and that this was maintained at 16 months. The results also suggest that the 'Skipper' program and the related publicity had positive impacts on behaviour with an increase in the proportion of people participating in designated driver as a passenger. It is less clear, however, whether the 'Skipper' program impacted on other behaviours of interest, such as drink driving or involvement in alcohol-related crashes. Suggestions for further research and program improvement are discussed as well as limitations of the research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Accident; analysis & prevention, 66 : 27-35
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Other service delivery and improvement interventions
Wilke, D. J., Mennicke, A., Howell, R. L., Magnuson, A. B.
Results from a pilot study of a peer-facilitated brief motivational interview using personalized normative feedback with members of fraternities and sororities are presented. Eight fraternity and sorority houses were randomly selected and then randomized into treatment or control conditions. Quantitative data testing intervention efficacy indicated no differences between treatment and control group 30 days postintervention on measures of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences. Qualitative information from follow-up focus groups of intervention participants identified themes related to intervention dosage, and credibility of the normative data and peer educator. Recommendations are made for future research and intervention strategies with this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract).
Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 14(1) : 42-63
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy, Personalised feedback, normative feedback
Suffoletto, B., Kristan, J., Callaway, C., Kim, K. H., Chung, T., Monti, P. M., Clark, D. B.
Study objective Opportunistic brief in-person emergency department (ED) interventions can be effective at reducing hazardous alcohol use in young adult drinkers, but require resources frequently unavailable. Mobile telephone text messaging (short message service [SMS]) could sustainably deliver behavioral support to young adult patients, but efficacy remains unknown. We report 3-month outcome data of a randomized controlled trial testing a novel SMS-delivered intervention in hazardous-drinking young adults.
Methods We randomized 765 young adult ED patients who screened positive for past hazardous alcohol use to one of 3 groups: SMS assessments+feedback (SA+F) intervention who were asked to respond to drinking-related queries and received real-time feedback through SMS each Thursday and Sunday for 12 weeks (n=384), SMS assessments (SA) who were asked to respond to alcohol consumption queries each Sunday but did not receive any feedback (N=196), and a control group who did not participate in any SMS (n=185). Primary outcomes were self-reported number of binge drinking days and number of drinks per drinking day in the past 30 days, collected by Web-based timeline follow-back method and analyzed with regression models. Secondary outcomes were the proportion of participants with weekend binge episodes and most drinks consumed per drinking occasion during 12 weekends, collected by SMS.
Results With Web-based data, there were decreases in the number of self-reported binge drinking days from baseline to 3 months in the SA+F group (-0.51 [95% confidence interval {CI} -0.10 to -0.95]), whereas there were increases in the SA group (0.90 [95% CI 0.23 to 1.6]) and the control group (0.41 [95% CI -0.20 to 1.0]). There were also decreases in the number of self-reported drinks per drinking day from baseline to 3 months in the SA+F group (-0.31 [95% CI -0.07 to -0.55]), whereas there were increases in the SA group (0.10 [95% CI -0.27 to 0.47]) and the control group (0.39 [95% CI 0.06 to 0.72]). With SMS data, there was a lower mean proportion of SA+F participants reporting a weekend binge during 12 weeks (30.5% [95% CI 25% to 36%) compared with the SA participants (47.7% [95% CI 40% to 56%]). There was also a lower mean drinks consumed per weekend during 12 weeks in the SA+F group (3.2 [95% CI 2.6 to 3.7]) compared to the SA group (4.8 [95% CI 4.0 to 5.6]).
Conclusion A text message intervention can produce small reductions in self-reported binge drinking and the number of drinks consumed per drinking day in hazardous-drinking young adults after ED discharge.
Annals of Emergency Medicine, 64(6) : 664-672
- Year: 2014
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy, Personalised feedback, normative feedback
, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Toumbourou, John W., Gregg, M. Elizabeth Douglas, Shortt, Alison L., Hutchinson, Delyse M., Slaviero, Tania M.
Purpose: Two-year longitudinal follow-up data evaluated the behavioral impact of Resilient Families, a universal intervention that aimed to prevent early initiation and frequent and heavy adolescent alcohol use in secondary schools in Melbourne, Australia. Methods: Of 24 secondary schools (62% of those approached), 12 were randomly assigned to intervention and 12 as controls. Intervention students received a social relationship curriculum; their parents received parent education handbooks and invitations to parent education events outlining strategies to encourage healthy adolescent development and reduce adolescent alcohol misuse. At Wave 1 (2004), students were in Year 7 secondary school (mean age, 12.3 years). Data were imputed for students completing at least two of three annual surveys (N = 2,354). Wave 3 (2006; mean, 14.5 years) main outcome measures for alcohol use were "any," "frequent" (at least monthly), and "heavy" (five or more drinks in a session at least once in the prior fortnight). Multivariate logistic regression assessed intervention exposure effects, adjusting for school classroom clustering and baseline measures. Results: Relative to controls, intervention students showed significant reductions in any lifetime use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], .78; 95% confidence interval [CI], .62 - .97), and reduced progression to frequent (AOR, .69; CI, .56 - .86) and heavy use (AOR, .75; CI, .60 - .94). Conclusions: Randomized assignment to Resilient Families was associated with a significant reduction in adolescent alcohol use among families volunteering for the evaluation. Family - school-based interventions appear promising as a strategy to contribute to population reductions in currently high rates of adolescent alcohol misuse. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved). (journal abstract)
Journal of Adolescent Health, 53(6) : 778-784
- Year: 2013
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions