Disorders - Alcohol Use
Pedrelli, P.
Almost half of college students in the US report engaging in binge drinking (BD), a behavior associated with increased risk for physical injury, sexual and/or physical assault, driving while intoxicated, suicidal behavior and death. Many students report drinking heavily in order to cope with aversive mood states and BD is more frequent among students with depressive symptoms. The combination of depressive symptoms and alcohol use to cope with negative mood increases risk for negative consequences and poor long-term outcome. However, empirically supported treatments are not available for binge drinking students with concurrent depressive symptoms. The study compared the efficacy of a novel program combining an evidence-based treatment for BD, Brief Motivational Intervention, and an evidence-based treatment for depression, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (BMI+CBT), relative to CBT alone, for binge drinking students with depressive symptoms. The study included 96 undergraduate students (67%females, age=19.9 +/- 1.3) reportingmild to severe depressive symptoms and BD who were randomized to eight therapy sessions of BMI+CBT or CBT alone. Participants completed assessmentsmeasures at baseline, at the end of treatment and one month after completion of treatment. A longitudinal mixedmodel did not find a differential effect of the two treatments on BD and depressive symptoms (F(2,53),=1.43, p > 0.05). However, there was a main effect of treatment on BD (F(2,53),=12.01, p < 0.01; treatment effect follow-up-1 d = 0.48; follow-up-2 d = 0.56), and on depressive symptoms (treatment effect follow-up-1 d = 1.15; follow-up-2 d = 1.30). In addition, a differential effect between the treatments was found on coping strategies such that participants receiving BMI+CBT reported a significant higher decrease in using avoidance behavior as a coping strategy than those in the CBT alone group (F(2,52),=7.69, p < 0.01). Baseline severity of depressive symptoms and of alcohol consumption did not predict outcome. Although the absence of a no-treatment group does not allow concluding that the gains experienced during treatment were not associated with the passage of time, the magnitude of improvement found by the study was higher than that found with passage of time (Kenney et al. 2016). Students with co-occurring depressive symptoms and BD may benefit from receiving CBT and the inclusion of BMI may not yield additional gains. Findings, also suggest that CBT+BMI and CBT may act upon different mechanisms.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 41 (Supplement 1) : 302A
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Depressive Disorders, Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
, Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy
Rinker, D. V., Young, C. M., Neighbors, C.
A significant body of work suggests that computer-based personalized normative feedback (PNF) interventions that target perceived descriptive norms, or perceptions of drinking prevalence among peers, are effective in reducing problem drinking. Less work has evaluated interventions that target perceived injunctive norms, or perceptions of the extent to which others approve or disapprove of drinking behaviors. One possible reason that computer-based PNF interventions may not target perceived injunctive norms may be because there is a greater potential for reactance to feedback that is focused on perceived others' evaluations (i.e., acceptable versus unacceptable). Motivational interviewing (MI) is a non-judgmental, non-confrontational clinical approach that works to diffuse reactance by emphasizing empathy, autonomy, and responding to resistance with reflective listening rather than opposition or challenge. Accordingly, this randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of a computer-delivered and MI-delivered injunctive norms PNF in reducing problem drinking among heavy-drinking college students. Participants included 605 heavy-drinking students from two large universities in the south and northwest who completed baseline and intervention activities. Participants were randomized to receive either an in-person MI-delivered injunctive norms PNF (MIPNF), a computer-based injunctive norms PNF (PNF), or an attention-control feedback (control). Participants then completed 3- and 6-month follow-up surveys (91%and 90%completion, respectively). Generalized linear models (negative binomial) indicated significant reductions in perceived injunctive norms at both follow-up timepoints for bothMIPNF and PNF relative to control, and for MIPNF relative to PNF. Further, there were significant reductions at both follow-up timepoints for alcohol quantity and alcohol-related problems for MIPNF compared to control. There were no significant reductions in drinking behaviors or alcohol-related problems for PNF compared to control. Finally, there were significant indirect intervention effects on 6-month drinking behaviors through changes in perceived injunctive norms at 3-month follow-up. Overall, results suggest that injunctive norms-based feedback is effective in reducing perceived injunctive norms, drinking behaviors, and alcohol-related problems when MI-delivered.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 41 (Supplement 1) : 252A
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy, Personalised feedback, normative feedback
Newton, A. S., Dow, N., Dong, K., Fitzpatrick, E., Cameron-Wild, T., Johnson, D. W., Ali, S., Colman, I., Rosychuk, R. J.
Objective This study piloted procedures and obtained data on intervention acceptability to determine the feasibility of a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT) of the effectiveness of a computer-based brief intervention in the emergency department (ED). Design Two-arm, multi-site, pilot RCT. Setting and participants Adolescents aged 12-17 years presenting to three Canadian pediatric EDs from July 2010 to January 2013 for an alcohol-related complaint. Interventions Standard medical care plus computer-based screening and personalised assessment feedback (experimental group) or standard care plus computer-based sham (control group). ED and research staff, and adolescents were blinded to allocation. Outcomes Main: change in alcohol consumption from baseline to 1- and 3 months post-intervention. Secondary: recruitment and retention rates, intervention acceptability and feasibility, perception of group allocation among ED and research staff, and change in health and social services utilisation. Results Of the 340 adolescents screened, 117 adolescents were eligible and 44 participated in the study (37.6% recruitment rate). Adolescents allocated to the intervention found it easy, quick and informative, but were divided on the credibility of the feedback provided (agreed it was credible: 44.4%, disagreed: 16.7%, unsure: 16.7%, no response: 22.2%). We found no evidence of a statistically significant relationship between which interventions adolescents were allocated to and which interventions staff thought they received. Alcohol consumption, and health and social services data were largely incomplete due to modest study retention rates of 47.7% and 40.9% at 1- and 3 months post-intervention, respectively. Conclusions A computer-based intervention was acceptable to adolescents and delivery was feasible in the ED in terms of time to use and ease of use. However, adjustments are needed to the intervention to improve its credibility. A definitive RCT will be feasible if protocol adjustments are made to improve recruitment and retention rates; and increase the number of study sites and research staff. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov NCT01146665 Copyright © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved.
BMJ Open, 7 (8) (no pagination)(e015423) :
- Year: 2017
- 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
Meier, E., Miller, M. B., Lombardi, N., Leffingwell, T.
Introduction Completion of alcohol assessments influences treatment outcomes, yet little is known about the aspects of assessment that may contribute to this response. The present study is a randomized controlled trial examining how the themes of alcohol assessments (e.g., assessment of alcohol-related consequences as opposed to drinking patterns) may affect drinking behaviors. Methods Undergraduate students (N = 290, Mage = 19.97, SDage = 1.81, 61.7% female), reporting at least one binge drinking episode during the past month, completed one of five baseline assessment batteries that varied thematically: (a) Control (e.g., minimal drinking quantity and frequency questions), (b) Consequences (e.g., College Alcohol Problems Scale; CAPS-r), (c) Norms (e.g., Drinking Norms Rating Form), (d) Diagnostic (e.g., Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), and (e) Combined (all themes). Participants completed a one-month follow-up of drinking quantity/frequency and the CAPS-r. Results All groups decreased their self-reported peak drinks consumed (p < 0.001, etap 2 = 0.05) and past month frequency of drinking (p = 0.002, etap 2 = 0.03; except for the consequences group) from baseline to follow-up. There were no between-group differences. No changes emerged in drinks per week (p = 0.09, etap 2 = 0.01) or alcohol-related consequences (p = 0.06, etap 2 = 0.03) from baseline to follow-up. Conclusion Minimal assessment of drinking quantity and frequency may result in assessment reactivity. Reductions in markers of risky drinking behaviors did not differ as a function of the type of assessments completed (e.g., Consequences vs Diagnostic). Continued research is needed to determine what other important variables (e.g., treatment seeking) may affect assessment reactivity. Copyright © 2016
Addictive Behaviors, 67 : 44-48
- Year: 2017
- 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
Kamboj, S. K., Irez, D., Serfaty, S., Thomas, E., Das, R. K., Freeman, T. P.
Background: Like other complex psychosocial interventions, mindfulness-based treatments comprise various modalityspecific components as well as nonspecific therapeutic ingredients that collectively contribute to efficacy. Consequently, the isolated effects of mindfulness strategies per se remain unclear. Methods: Using a randomized double-blind design, we compared the isolated effects of 11-minutes of "supervised" mindfulness instruction against a closely matched active control (relaxation) on subjective, physiological, and behavioral indices of maladaptive alcohol responding in drinkers at risk of harm from alcohol use (n = 68). Simple follow-up instructions on strategy use were provided, but practice was unsupervised and not formally monitored. Results: Both groups showed acute reductions in craving after training, although a trend group x time interaction (P = .056) suggested that this reduction was greater in the relaxation group (d = 0.722 P < .001) compared with the mindfulness group (d = 0.317, P = .004). Furthermore, upregulation of parasympathetic activity was found after relaxation (d = 0.562; P < .001) but not mindfulness instructions (d = 0.08; P > .1; group x time interaction: P = .009). By contrast, only the mindfulness group showed a reduction in past-week alcohol consumption at 7-day follow-up (-9.31 units, d = 0.593, P < .001), whereas no significant reduction was seen in the relaxation group (-3.00 units, d = 0.268, P > .1; group x time interaction: P = .026). Conclusion: Very brief mindfulness practice can significantly reduce alcohol consumption among at-risk drinkers, even with minimal encouragement to use this strategy outside of the experimental context. The effects on consumption may therefore represent a lower bound of efficacy of "ultra-brief" mindfulness instructions in hazardous drinkers, at least at short follow-up intervals. Copyright © The Author 2017.
International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 20(11) : 936-947
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Mindfulness based therapy, Relaxation
Hanewinkel, R., Tomczyk, S., Goecke, M., Isensee, B.
BACKGROUND: In a survey taken in Germany in 2015, 14.1% of the 12- to 17-year-olds surveyed had practiced binge drinking at least once in the preceding 30 days. The school program "Klar bleiben" ("Keep a Clear Head") was designed for and implemented among 10th graders. The participants committed themselves to abstain from binge drinking for 9 weeks. We studied whether this intervention influenced the frequency and intensity of binge drinking.
METHODS: This cluster-randomized controlled trial was carried out in 196 classes of 61 schools, with a total of 4163 participants with a mean age of 15.6 years (standard deviation 0.73 years). Data were collected by questionnaire in late 2015, before the intervention and again six months later. The primary endpoints were the frequency of consumption of at least 4 or 5 alcoholic drinks (for girls and boys, respectively) and the typical quantity consumed. This trial was registered in the German Clinical Trials Registry (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien, DRKS) with the DRKS ID number DRKS00009424.
RESULTS: At the beginning of the trial, there was no difference between the intervention group and the control group with respect to the primary endpoints. After the intervention, differences were found among participants who had consumed alcohol before the trial (73.2% of the overall sample): binge drinking at least once in the preceding month was reported by 49.4% of the control group and by 44.2% in the intervention group (p = 0.028). The mean number of alcoholic drinks consumed in each drinking episode was 5.20 in the control group and 5.01 in the intervention group (p = 0.047).
CONCLUSION: The intervention was effective only in the large subgroup of adolescents who had previously consumed alcohol: they drank alcohol less often and in smaller amounts than their counterparts in the control group.
Deutsches Arzteblatt International, 114(16) : 280-287
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Case management
Cornelius, J., Chung, T., Douaihy, A., Glance, J.
Background: Previous medication studies involving persons with co-occurring major depression and an alcohol use disorder (MDD/AUD) have focused on SSRI medications, with disappointing results, so effective treatments for that comorbid population are lacking. Pharmacotherapy results have been particularly scarce and disappointing among younger subjects. Mirtazapine is an FDA-approved antidepressant with a unique pharmacological profile. Recent metaanalyses suggest that its efficacy may exceed that of SSRI antidepressants. Our own recent open label study suggested efficacy for mirtazapine for decreasing both the drinking and the depression of middle aged adults with that comorbid condition (Cornelius et al., 2012). To date, no double-blind placebo-controlled studies have evaluated its safety and efficacy for treating the drinking and depression of youthful MDD/AUD subjects. We now report preliminary findings from a first double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving mirtazapine in comorbid MDD/AUD adolescents and young adults. We hypothesized that mirtazapine would be well tolerated and would decrease levels of drinking and depression. Methods: This federally-funded double-blind, placebocontrolled 12-week pilot trial is currently underway involving persons 18 to 30 years of age with co-occurring DSM-IV MDD/AUD. Participants receive mirtazapine 15 mg for two weeks, which is then increased to 30 mg. All subjects in both the mirtazapine group and the placebo group also receive motivation enhancement therapy (MET). Assessments are conducted weekly for 4 weeks and bi-weekly thereafter. Depression is monitored with the BDI and drinking with the TLFB. The study remains ongoing, so the medication blinds have not yet been broken, and final study results are not yet available. Results: Atotal of 6 subjects have entered the study to date. None of those persons have dropped out of the study to date. All of the subjects have demonstrated decreases in both depressive symptoms and in drinking during the study. No serious adverse events have occurred, and no subjects have noted paradoxical increases in depressive symptoms or suicidal symptoms. The most common side effect was mild sedation. Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest safety and efficacy for mirtazapine in combination with MET for decreasing the drinking and depression of adolescents and young adults with co-occurring MDD/AUD. Large doubleblind studies are needed to clarify its safety and efficacy among various comorbid populations. Summary: We now report preliminary findings from a first double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study involving mirtazapine in comorbid MDD/AUD adolescents and young adults. These preliminary findings of this pilot study suggest safety and efficacy for mirtazapine in combination with MET for decreasing the drinking and depression of adolescents and young adults with co-occurring MDD/AUD.
American Journal on Addictions, 26 (3) : 250-251
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Depressive Disorders, Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Biological Interventions (any)
, Tetracyclic antidepressants (TECA/NSSAs), Antidepressants (any)
, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy
Fucito, L. M., DeMartini, K. S., Hanrahan, T. H., Yaggi, H. K., Heffern, C., Redeker, N. S.
Background: Continued high alcohol consumption levels by college students highlight the need for more effective alcohol interventions and novel treatment engagement strategies. The purpose of this study was to investigate a behavioral sleep intervention as a means to engage heavy-drinking college students in treatment and reduce alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. Methods: Heavy-drinking college students (N = 42) were assigned to 1 of 2 web-based interventions comprised of 4 modules delivered over 4 weeks. The experimental intervention focused primarily on sleep and included evidence-based sleep content (i.e., stimulus control instructions, sleep scheduling [consistent bed/rise times; ideal sleep duration for adolescents/young adults], sleep hygiene advice, relaxation training, cognitive strategies to target sleep-disruptive beliefs), and alcohol content (i.e., normative and blood alcohol level feedback, moderate drinking guidelines, controlled drinking strategies, effects of alcohol on sleep and the body, advice to moderate drinking for improved sleep) in young adults. The control condition Healthy Behaviors provided basic advice about nutrition, exercise, sleep (i.e., good sleep hygiene only), and drinking (i.e., effects of alcohol on the body, moderate drinking guidelines, advice to moderate drinking for sleep). Participants in both conditions monitored their sleep using daily web-based diaries and a wrist-worn sleep tracker. Results: Recruitment ads targeting college students with sleep concerns effectively identified heavy-drinking students. The program generated a high number of inquiries and treatment completion rates were high. Both interventions significantly reduced typical week drinking and alcohol-related consequences and improved sleep quality and sleep-related impairment ratings. The control condition yielded greater reductions in total drinks in a heaviest drinking week. The effects on drinking were larger than those observed in typical brief alcohol intervention studies for college students. Greater sleep improvement tended to predict better subsequent drinking outcomes. Conclusions: The results suggest that sleep treatment may be a promising strategy for targeting and treating heavy-drinking college students. Copyright © 2017 by the Research Society on Alcoholism
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 41(4) : 798-809
- Year: 2017
- Problem: 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, Personalised feedback, normative feedback
, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Gajecki, M., Andersson, C., Rosendahl, I., Sinadinovic, K., Fredriksson, M., Berman, A. H.
Purpose: University students in a study on estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC) feedback apps were offered participation in a second study, if reporting continued excessive consumption at 6-week follow-up. This study evaluated the effects on excessive alcohol consumption of offering access to an additional skills training app. Method: A total of 186 students with excessive alcohol consumption were randomized to an intervention group or a wait list group. Both groups completed online follow-ups regarding alcohol consumption after 6 and 12 weeks. Wait list participants were given access to the intervention at 6-week follow-up. Assessment-only controls (n = 144) with excessive alcohol consumption from the ongoing study were used for comparison. Results: The proportion of participants with excessive alcohol consumption declined in both intervention and wait list groups compared to controls at first (p < 0.001) and second follow-ups (p = 0.054). Secondary analyses showed reductions for the intervention group in quantity of drinking at first follow-up (-4.76, 95% CI [-6.67, -2.85], Z = -2.09, p = 0.037) and in frequency of drinking at both follow-ups (-0.83, 95% CI [-1.14, -0.52], Z = -2.04, p = 0.041; -0.89, 95% CI [-1.16, -0.62], Z = -2.12, p = 0.034). The odds ratio for not having excessive alcohol consumption among men in the intervention group compared to male controls was 2.68, 95% CI [1.37, 5.25] (Z = 2.88, p = 0.004); the figure for women was 1.71, 95% CI [1.11, 2.64] (Z = 2.41, p = 0.016). Conclusion: Skills training apps have potential for reducing excessive alcohol use among university students. Future research is still needed to disentangle effects of app use from emailed feedback on excessive alcohol consumption and study participation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
International journal of behavioral medicine, 24(5) : 778-788
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Skills training, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Gilder, D. A., Geisler, J. R., Luna, J. A., Calac, D., Monti, P. M., Spillane, N. S., Lee, J. P., Moore, R. S., Ehlers, C. L.
Underage drinking is an important public health issue for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents, as it is for U. S. teens of all ethnicities. One of the demonstrated risk factors for the development of alcohol use disorders in AI/AN is early age of initiation of drinking. To address this issue a randomized trial to assess the efficacy of Motivational Interviewing (MI) compared to Psycho-Education (PE) to reduce and prevent underage drinking in AI/AN youth was developed and implemented. Sixty-nine youth received MI or PE and 87% were assessed at follow-up. For teens who were already drinking, participating in the intervention (MI or PE) was associated, at follow-up, with lower quantity x frequency (qxf) of drinking (p = 0.011), fewer maximum drinks per drinking occasion (p = 0.004), and fewer problem behaviors (p = 0.009). The MI intervention resulted in male drinkers reporting a lower qxf of drinking (p = 0.048) and female drinkers reporting less depression (p = 0.011). In teens who had not started drinking prior to the intervention, 17% had initiated drinking at follow-up. As a group they reported increased quantity x frequency of drinking (p = 0.008) and maximum drinks (p = 0.047), but no change in problem behaviors. These results suggest that intervening against underage drinking using either MI or PE in AI/AN youth can result in reduced drinking, prevention of initiation of drinking, and other positive behavioral outcomes. Brief interventions that enhance motivation to change as well as Psycho-Education may provide a successful approach to reducing the potential morbidity of underage drinking in this high-risk group. Copyright © 2017
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 82 : 74-81
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy, Psychoeducation
Gilder, D., Geisler, J., Luna, J., Calac, D., Moore, R., Ehlers, C.
Purpose: American Indian (AI) adolescents overall have the highest prevalence of drinking and alcohol use disorders when compared to other ethnicity U.S. teens. One risk factor for the development of alcohol use disorders in AI is early age of initiation of drinking. Methods: A randomized trial to assess the efficacy of a culturally tailored Motivational Interviewing (MI) compared to a Psycho-Education (PE) intervention to prevent or reduce underage drinking in AI youth ages 13-20 years was developed and implemented. Sixty youth were assessed at baseline prior to intervention and at a 6-month follow-up. Measures included the Adolescent Drinking Questionnaire (ADQ) and Student Self-Check. At baseline, 25 youth had had one or more standard drinks of alcohol in the previous 6 months (drinkers) and 35 had not (non-drinkers). The results of the interventions were analyzed separately in the two groups. A repeated measures GLM regression, with post-hocs, was performed for each past 6-month alcohol use and behavior problem variable with the followingmain independent variables: gender, intervention type (MI or PE), and time. Results: For drinkers, participation in the intervention (MI or PE) resulted at follow-up in less frequent drinking (p = 0.039), fewer drinks per drinking occasion (p = 0.004), fewer maximum drinks (p = 0.004), and fewer problems with underachieving in school (p = 0.004), lying (p = 0.004), defiance with parents (p = 0.004), spending time with people who smoke, drink, or use drugs (p = 0.004), using alcohol (p = 0.004), using drugs (p = 0.048), and tagging/wearing gang clothing (p = 0.03). When MI was compared to PE, males reported fewer drinks per occasion (p = 0.041) and females reported less depression (p = 0.011). For non-drinkers, 17%had initiated drinking at follow- up. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that targeting underage drinking using MI or PE in AI youth may reduce drinking and enhance other positive behavioral outcomes. MI may be more effective than PE in some outcomes depending on gender.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 41 (Supplement 1) : 175A
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy, Psychoeducation
Dennhardt, A. A., Martens, M. P., Borsari, B., Witkiewitz, K., Murphy, J. G.
Brief motivational interventions (BMIs) are efficacious for reducing heavy drinking among college students, but factors that contribute to poor response are not well understood. Numerous studies have linked problem drinking and negative affect and research suggests that there is a strong link between affective variables such as depression and alcohol-related problems above and beyond the level of drinking. Students who experience significant negative affect may not respond well to standard alcohol interventions and may benefit from an intervention that aims to increase goal-directed behavior such as the substance-free activity session (SFAS). A pilot study of the SFAS suggested it was associated with fewer heavy drinking episodes for students with depression symptoms (Murphy et al., 2012). In this study, we further examined the role of depression and anxiety in outcomes after a BMI + SFAS vs. BMI + relaxation control or an assessment-only condition. Heavy-drinking (N = 393) students were recruited from two public universities and participants were randomized to receive a standard alcohol BMI or only complete the assessment. Students were then assigned to a relaxation session or a supplemental session to increase engagement in substance-free activities, reduce impulsivity and negative affect. Participants completed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) at baseline and 1 and 6-month follow-ups. Drinking and related problems were measured at baseline and 1-month and 6-months post intervention using the Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ) and the Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (YAACQ), respectively. Consistent with our hypotheses, DASS score was a moderator of treatment outcome. ANCOVA contrasts indicated that individuals with high levels of anxiety and depression drank less at 1-month (ps= 0.010 & 0.05) and 6-months post-intervention (ps = 0.049 & 0.049) if they were assigned to BMI + Relaxation or BMI + SFAS versus assessment only. BMI + SFAS was also associated with less drinking (trend levelp = 0.064) and fewer problems for individuals with symptoms of depression (p = 0.031) when compared to BMI + Relaxation. These results suggest that students who experience comorbid negative affect and substance use may require intervention elements that increase engagement goal directed activities and enhance coping to help them to reduce their drinking and related problems.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 41 (Supplement 1) : 302A
- Year: 2017
- Problem: Alcohol Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions, Relaxation