Delivering targeted motivational interviewing to reduce alcohol-related harm in adolescents

Abstract

Aim: Investigating the effectiveness of targeted motivational interviewing (MI) as a brief intervention for reducing adolescent alcohol use and the associated health and social harms. Background: The implications of alcohol misuse are both far-reaching and cumulative, with alcohol-related harm identified as a major public health issue. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of alcohol. In response, both the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the World Health Organization advocate the delivery of brief interventions as a supportive harm reduction strategy. Methods: Multiple databases were searched to locate systematic reviews of RCTs published between 2006 and 2016. Studies were required to have used brief MI; specific to adolescent alcohol use and harm reduction. Results: Interventions based upon MI principles provided encouraging results, despite the utilisation of differing intervention designs, settings and outcome measures. Conclusions: Targeted MI can reduce adolescent alcohol consumption, frequency of use and the associated health and social harms. As leaders of the Healthy Child Programme (5–19), school nurses are well placed to deliver these interventions.