Abstract
BackgroundMid to late adolescence is characterised by a vulnerability to problematic substance use since the consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs is frequently initiated and increased in this life period. While the detrimental long- and short-term effects of problematic consumption patterns in adolescence pose a major public health concern, current prevention programs targeting alcohol- and other substance-using adolescents are scarce. The study described in this protocol will test the effectiveness of a web-based brief intervention aimed at reducing problematic alcohol use and promoting abstinence from illegal drugs in adolescents with risky substance use aged 16 to 18 years old in four EU-countries.Methods/designTo determine the effectiveness of our web-BI, we apply a two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) study design, with baseline assessment at study entry and a three month follow-up assessment. Adolescents aged 16 to 18 years from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Sweden will be randomly assigned to either the fully electronically delivered brief intervention group (N = 400) or an assessment only control group (N = 400) depending on their screening for risky substance use (using the CRAFFT). Recruitment, informed consent, randomization, intervention and follow-up will be implemented online. Primary outcomes are reductions in frequency and quantity of use of alcohol and drugs other than alcohol over a 30 day period, as well as consumption per typical occasion. Secondary outcomes concern changes in substance use related cognitions including the constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, implementation intentions, and stages of change. Moreover the study addresses a number of moderator variables, including age of first use, general psychopathology and quality of parent–child relationship.DiscussionThe trial is expected to contribute to the growing literature on theory- and web-based brief interventions for adolescents. We will explore the potential of using web-based technologies as means of delivering preventive interventions. In doing so we are among the first to target the relevant group of young poly-drug users in Europe.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN95538913
Highlights
Mid to late adolescence is characterised by a vulnerability to problematic substance use since the consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs is frequently initiated and increased in this life period
Mid to late adolescence constitutes a phase of major developmental changes and age-specific demands associated with the biographic transition into a more adult role [1,2,3]
Aim Considering the promising results and the apparent benefits of electronically delivered screening and brief intervention for people with hazardous substance consumption, together with the need to investigate new ways of approaching the important target group of polydrug using adolescents in Europe, this study primarily aims at creating a fully automatised web-based brief intervention for substance-using adolescents in four European countries and examine its effectiveness across a range of outcome measures
Summary
Mid to late adolescence is characterised by a vulnerability to problematic substance use since the consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs is frequently initiated and increased in this life period. While the hallmarks of adolescence are exploration of identity and future prospects [4,5], this phase in the lifespan is characterized by a certain vulnerability to substance consumption [6] since the consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs is frequently initiated and increased in this life period [7,8]. Substance use is rarely restricted to the consumption of a single substance as illicit drug consumption is most typically accompanied by alcohol [9] Such poly-drug patterns appear prevalent among youth in modern Europe as emphasized in the 2009 Annual report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction [10]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
