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A quasi-randomized group trial of a brief alcohol intervention on risky single occasion drinking among secondary school students

Gmel, Gerhard ; Venzin, Vigeli ; Marmet, Katrin ; Danko, George ; Labhart, Florian

In: International Journal of Public Health, 2012, vol. 57, no. 6, p. 935-944

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    Title
    • A quasi-randomized group trial of a brief alcohol intervention on risky single occasion drinking among secondary school students
    Author
    • Gmel, Gerhard. Research Department, Addiction Switzerland, Avenue de Ruchonnet 14, P.O. Box 870, 1001, Lausanne, Switzerland
    • Venzin, Vigeli. Cantonal Office for Secondary Education Zürich, 8090, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Marmet, Katrin. Cantonal Office for Secondary Education Zürich, 8090, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Danko, George. Department of Psychiatry, University of California, La Jolla, 92093-0866, San Diego, CA, USA
    • Labhart, Florian. Research Department, Addiction Switzerland, Avenue de Ruchonnet 14, P.O. Box 870, 1001, Lausanne, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    Language
    • English
    Published in
    • International Journal of Public Health, 2012, vol. 57, no. 6, p. 935-944. SP Birkhäuser Verlag Basel
    Other Version
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:311896
    Summary
    Objectives: To show the effectiveness of a brief group alcohol intervention. Aims of the intervention were to reduce the frequency of heavy drinking occasions, maximum number of drinks on an occasion and overall weekly consumption. Methods: A cluster quasi-randomized control trial (intervention n=338; control n=330) among 16- to 18-year-old secondary school students in the Swiss Canton of Zürich. Groups homogeneous for heavy drinking occasions (5+/4+ drinks for men/women) consisted of those having medium risk (3-4) or high risk (5+) occasions in the past 30days. Groups of 8-10 individuals received two 45-min sessions based on motivational interviewing techniques. Results: Borderline significant beneficial effects (p<0.10) on heavy drinking occasions and alcohol volume were found 6months later for the medium-risk group only, but not for the high-risk group. None of the effects remained significant after Bonferroni corrections. Conclusions: Group intervention was ineffective for all at-risk users. The heaviest drinkers may need more intensive treatment. Alternative explanations were iatrogenic effects among the heaviest drinkers, assessment reactivity, or reduction of social desirability bias at follow-up through peer feedback