Citation

Murphy JG, Dennhardt AA, Skidmore JR, Borsari B, Barnett NP, Colby SM, Martens MP. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 2012; 80(5): 876-886.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/a0028763

PMID

22663899

Abstract

Objective: Behavioral economic theory suggests that a reduction in substance use is most likely when there is an increase in rewarding substance-free activities. The goal of this randomized controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the incremental efficacy of a novel behavioral economic supplement (Substance-Free Activity Session [SFAS]) to a standard alcohol brief motivational interviewing (BMI) session for heavy-drinking college students. Method: Participants were 82 first-year college students (50% female; 81.7% White/European American; M age = 18.5 years, SD = 0.71) who reported 2 or more past-month heavy drinking episodes. After completing a baseline assessment and an individual alcohol-focused BMI, participants were randomized to either the SFAS or to a Relaxation Training (RT) control session. The SFAS was delivered in an MI style and attempted to increase the salience of delayed academic and career rewards and the patterns of behavior leading to those rewards. Results: The combination of an alcohol BMI plus the SFAS was associated with significantly greater reductions in alcohol problems compared with an alcohol BMI plus RT at the 1-month and 6-month follow-up assessments (p = .015, ηp2 = .07), an effect that was partially mediated by increases in protective behavioral strategies. BMI + SFAS was also associated with greater reductions in heavy drinking among participants who at baseline reported low levels of substance-free reinforcement or symptoms of depression. Conclusion: These results are consistent with behavioral economic theory and suggest that a single session focused on increasing engagement in alternatives to drinking can enhance the effects of brief alcohol interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Language: en