Citation

Tanner-Smith EE, Lipsey MW. J. Subst. Abuse Treat. 2014; 51: 1-18.

Affiliation

Peabody Research Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jsat.2014.09.001

PMID

25300577

Abstract

This study reports findings from a meta-analysis summarizing the effectiveness of brief alcohol interventions for adolescents (age 11-18) and young adults (age 19-30). We identified 185 eligible study samples using a comprehensive literature search and synthesized findings using random-effects meta-analyses with robust standard errors. Overall, brief alcohol interventions led to significant reductions in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems among adolescents (g¯ = 0.27 and g¯ = 0.19) and young adults (g¯ = 0.17 and g¯ = 0.11). These effects persisted for up to 1year after intervention and did not vary across participant demographics, intervention length, or intervention format. However, certain intervention modalities (e.g., motivational interviewing) and components (e.g., decisional balance, goal-setting exercises) were associated with larger effects. We conclude that brief alcohol interventions yield beneficial effects on alcohol-related outcomes for adolescents and young adults that are modest but potentially worthwhile given their brevity and low cost.

Language: en