Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2016 Nov;84(11):1008-1015.
doi: 10.1037/ccp0000132. Epub 2016 Sep 5.

Randomized controlled trial of a very brief, multicomponent web-based alcohol intervention for undergraduates with a focus on protective behavioral strategies

Robert F Leeman  1 , Kelly S DeMartini  2 , Ralitza Gueorguieva  2 , Christine Nogueira  2 , William R Corbin  3 , Clayton Neighbors  4 , Stephanie S O'Malley  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Randomized controlled trial of a very brief, multicomponent web-based alcohol intervention for undergraduates with a focus on protective behavioral strategies

Robert F Leeman et al. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2016 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: Tertiary Health Research Intervention via Email (THRIVE), a very brief, freely available, multicomponent Web-based alcohol intervention originally developed and tested among students in Australia and New Zealand, was tested in the United States. We also evaluated effects of systematically varying the protective behavioral strategies (PBS) component of the intervention to include shorter, focused lists of direct (e.g., alternating alcoholic with nonalcoholic drinks) or indirect (e.g., looking out for friends) strategies.

Method: Undergraduates with past-month heavy drinking (N = 208) were randomized to education/assessment control or one of three U.S.-THRIVE variants, including direct PBS only, indirect PBS only, or full (direct and indirect PBS).

Results: After 1 month, compared to the control condition, full condition participants reported fewer drinks per week (rate ratio [RR] = .62) and lower peak drinking (RR = .74). The indirect-only condition reported reduced peak drinking (RR = .74) and a trend toward fewer drinks per week (RR = .78). Changes in drinking relative to control were significant through 6 months for the full and indirect-only conditions. There were no significant differences between the direct-only and control conditions. U.S.-THRIVE was not associated with decreased heavy drinking or alcohol-related problems relative to control.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this was the first study to systematically vary the types of PBS provided in an intervention. Initial results suggest U.S.-THRIVE is efficacious. Compared to control, presenting indirect PBS only as part of U.S.-THRIVE was associated with lower drinks per week and peak past 30-day drinking. Targeting indirect PBS may be more appropriate for non-treatment-seeking young adults receiving a brief intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) Diagram
Figure 2
Figure 2
Overall Drinks per Week in the Past 30 Days by Time and Study Condition
Figure 3
Figure 3
Peak Number of Drinks in a Day in Past 30 Days by Time and Study Condition
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. American Public Health Association . Alcohol screening and brief intervention: A guide For public health practitioners. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation; Washington DC: 2008.
    1. Barnett NP, Murphy JG, Colby SM, Monti PM. Efficacy of counselor vs. computer-delivered intervention with mandated college students. Addictive Behaviors. 2007;32:2529–2548. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Braitman AL. The effects of personalized boosters for a computerized intervention targeting college student drinking. Old Dominion University; Norfolk, VA: 2012. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. - PubMed
    1. Bonar EE, Rosenberg H, Hoffmann E, Kraus SW, Kryszak E, Young KM, Bannon EE. Measuring university students’ self-efficacy to use drinking self-control strategies. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 2011;25:155–161. - PubMed
    1. Cadigan JM, Haeny AM, Martens MP, Weaver CC, Takamatsu SK, Arterberry BJ. Personalized drinking feedback: A meta-analysis of in-person versus computer-delivered interventions. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 2014;83:430–437. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types