Efficacy Of Brief Intervention Research Articles

The Role of Personalized Normative Feedback in the Efficacy of Brief Intervention Among Argentinian University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Personalized Normative Feedback (PNF) aims to modify misperceptions about peer consumption that influence one’s drinking. PNF is usually a component in Brief Interventions delivered to university students. Despite this, whether PNF contributes to improving the effect of brief interventions is unclear. Objectives: This randomized controlled trial aimed to determine the role of PNF as an active ingredient in a face-to-face motivational brief intervention. Results: Participants were students from an Argentinian university (n=806; M=20.14; SD=3.17; 63.2% women) who presented at least one binge drinking episode in the last 12 months. Students were randomly assigned to 1) a Brief Intervention, 2) a Brief Intervention with PNF, or 3) an evaluation-only control group. The follow-up was three months later. After controlling sex and age, General Linear Models showed that both the brief intervention and the brief intervention with PNF reduced the quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and alcohol problems compared to the control condition. No differences were found between the brief intervention and the brief intervention with PNF. Also, treating eight students with brief intervention and 10 with brief intervention with PNF was necessary to benefit one student. Conclusions: In conclusion, this study demonstrates that brief intervention reduces alcohol consumption among Latin American university students and that PNF might not be an active ingredient of its effectiveness in this population. However, PNF could benefit students with specific characteristics, like those who overestimate their peers’ drinking, highlighting the need to study moderators of effectiveness further.

Efficacy of Brief Interventions for Comorbid Substance Misuse in Patients on Opioid Agonist Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Multiple substance use is a common but underrecognized problem in patients on opioid agonist treatment (OAT). Co-occurring substance misuse is associated with poor clinical and psychosocial outcomes. We aimed ( a ) to determine the effect of screening and brief intervention (SBI) for substance misuse in people on OAT and (b) to qualitatively summarize the implementation of SBI. We performed a systematic review of clinical trials on the efficacy of SBI for alcohol and drug misuse in participants on OAT. We searched 5 electronic databases and included published studies and unpublished trials. We measured the standardized mean difference in substance risk scores before and after intervention. We also estimated the standardized mean difference in alcohol consumption per day before and after intervention. We included a total of 8 studies; 5 of these were included in the meta-analysis, and all were reviewed for narrative synthesis. We observed a significant change in the pre-post brief intervention substance risk scores with a medium effect size (Hedges g = 0.752, 95% confidence interval, 0.405-1.099). Sensitivity analyses with different pretest-posttest correlations did not change our result. Modest effects of SBI were found in reducing both alcohol and illicit drug risk scores, and among the population on methadone and buprenorphine treatment. We also observed a significant decrease in alcohol consumption per day 3 months after SBI. Studies showed a limited and incomplete screening for substance misuse and delivery of brief intervention in OAT settings. Screening and brief intervention may be a potential treatment for co-occurring substance misuse among patients on OAT.

Proceedings of the 17th Annual International INEBRIA Conference

Proceedings of the 17th Annual International INEBRIA Conference

Efficacy of Brief Intervention for Unhealthy Drug Use in Outpatient Medical Care: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The efficacy of brief intervention (BI) for unhealthy drug use in outpatient medical care has not been sufficiently substantiated through meta-analysis despite its ongoing global delivery. This study aims to determine the efficacy of BI for unhealthy drug use and the expected length of effects, and describe subgroup analyses by outpatient setting. Trials comparing BI with usual care controls were retrieved through four databases up to January 13, 2021. Two reviewers independently screened, selected, and extracted data. Primary outcomes included drug use frequency (days used) and severity on validated scales at 4-8 months and were analyzed using random-effects model meta-analysis. In total, 20 studies with 9182 randomized patients were included. There was insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of BI for unhealthy drug use among all outpatient medical care settings for use frequency (SMD = -0.07, 95% CI = -0.17, 0.02, p = 0.12, I2 = 37%, high certainty of evidence) and severity (SMD = -0.27, 95% CI = -0.78, 0.24, p = 0.30, I2 = 98%, low certainty of evidence). However, post hoc subgroup analyses uncovered significant effects for use frequency by setting (interaction p = 0.02), with significant small effects only in emergency departments (SMD = -0.15, 95% CI = -0.25, -0.04, p < 0.01). Primary care, student health, women's health, and HIV primary care subgroups were nonsignificant. Primary care BI revealed nonsignificant greater average use in the treatment group compared to usual care. BI for unhealthy drug use lacks evidence of efficacy among all outpatient medical settings. However, small effects found in emergency departments may indicate incremental benefits for some patients. Clinical decisions for SBI or specialty treatment program referrals should be carefully considered accounting for these small effects in emergency departments. PROSPERO (CRD42020157733).

Efficacy of Brief Intervention for Alcohol Consumption during Pregnancy in Argentinean Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction Although Brief Intervention (BI) has proven to reduce alcohol consumption during pregnancy in high income countries, there is no evidence from the Southern Cone of America. Thus, we conducted a study to assess BI efficacy among Argentinean pregnant women. Method and Materials We collected data on pregnant women receiving prenatal care at the public health system in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Women with less than 26 weeks of gestation (n = 486) were randomized to brief advice (BA) or BI. Three months later they were re-assessed; women with more than 26 weeks of gestation constituted a screening only control group (SC) (n = 154). Self-reported quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption, frequency of binge drinking, and related problems after three months were used as outcomes. We performed generalized estimating equations and clinical significance analyses. Also, we obtained newborn health indicators from the city’s health system database to use as objective outcomes. Women who did not participate in any of the three former conditions were randomly selected to constitute a non-screening control group (NSC) (n = 150). We compared objective outcomes among BI, BA, and NSC groups using the Wilcoxon rank test. Results In comparison with SC, BI and BA reduced alcohol consumption, without differences between the latter two. Newborns of women who received BI and BA had better health indicators compared with the NSC group. Conclusions performing either a BI or BA reduces alcohol consumption among Argentinean pregnant women and might lead to healthier newborns.

Anxiety Sensitivity as a Malleable Mechanistic Target for Prevention Interventions: A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Brief Treatment Interventions.

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is a transdiagnostic risk factor and potential treatment target for prevention of associated psychopathology and negative health behaviors. We conducted a meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy of brief interventions in at-risk samples for reducing AS and associated clinical/behavioral outcomes (e.g., depression, alcohol use) across 28 studies (1,998 participants). AS targeted interventions, compared to control conditions, evidenced a significant moderate effect size for alleviating AS from pre- to post-treatment (d = 0.54) and approached a large effect size from pre-treatment to short-term follow-up (d = 0.78). The effect size for long-term follow-up did not reach significance (d = 0.29). For clinical/behavioral outcomes, AS interventions demonstrated significant small-to-moderate effect sizes for the three timepoints examined (d's = 0.20-0.41). Our findings help validate AS as a modifiable mechanistic target for prevention efforts.

A secondary analysis of a brief video intervention on suicidal ideation among recent rape victims.

Although rape has been linked to risk for suicidal ideation and attempts, there are scant data on the efficacy of brief interventions to reduce suicidality among recent rape victims. This secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial investigated whether a video intervention delivered in the emergency department (ED), cortisol measured at the ED, and prior rape history predicted postrape suicidal ideation independently or in combination with the other predictors. Participants were 235 women aged 15-71 years who presented to the ED for a sexual assault medical forensic examination and were randomly assigned to either receive a video intervention that addressed avoidance and promoted healthy coping strategies or standard care prior to the examination. Participants also provided a blood sample for cortisol and completed at least one of three follow-ups at 6 weeks, 3 months, or 6 months postrape. The intervention conferred protection against suicidal ideation among women with elevated cortisol and a prior rape; however, it did not reduce risk for women without a prior rape, particularly those with elevated cortisol. It may be important to consider the influence of prior rape and neuroendocrine reactivity in developing treatments to address suicidal ideation among rape victims. More specifically, there appears to be value in screening victims for prior rape and administering this brief intervention to reduce suicidal ideation; however, other avenues should be explored for victims without a prior rape history. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Provider attitudes towards a brief behavioral intervention for sexual health in Moldova

BackgroundBrief behavioral interventions are seen as an efficient way to improve knowledge, change behavior, and reduce provider stigma regarding sexual health. When grounded in evidence-based behavioral change techniques and delivered using Brief Sexuality-related Communication (BSC) tools, brief behavioral interventions can address client-driven sexual health goals in a single session with their provider. Evidence for the efficacy of brief interventions for creating gains in sexual health comes largely from resource rich settings, and there is a lack of knowledge of how brief interventions can be implemented in the more resource constrained environments of low- and middle-income countries. As a first step in developing a brief intervention to address sexual health issues in Moldova, this paper reports on qualitative data collected from Moldovan providers to understand their attitudes, willingness and perceived barriers to the brief intervention and its implementation.MethodsThirty-nine in-depth interviews (IDI) were conducted between February and March 2020, with health providers recruited from three primary health care institutions, two Youth Friendly Health Centers and counselors from three NGOs who work with key populations in Moldova, including health centers selected from two cites - the capital city, Chisinau and from the Comrat Region. The IDI addressed four domains of provider attitudes: 1) attitudes towards the intervention; 2) willingness and motivation to implement the intervention; 3) logistics of providing the intervention and 4) ability to implement the intervention. A coding analysis approach was applied to all interview transcripts.ResultsProviders largely reported being willing to be trained in and implement the brief intervention. Willingness to implement the intervention stemmed from two perceptions: that it would improve the ability of providers to talk with their clients about sex, and that vulnerable groups would benefit from these conversations. However, while there were generally positive attitudes towards the intervention, providers consistently reported structural barriers to their perceived ability to implement the intervention.ConclusionsWhile providers reported high levels of initial acceptance of a brief behavioral intervention, care is needed to ensure that brief interventions, and the training of providers on brief interventions, incorporate cultural attitudes and norms around sex, particularly in highly patriarchal settings, and provide opportunities for providers to practice the intervention in ways that address their assumptions and implicit biases.

Efficacy of brief intervention for harmful and hazardous alcohol use: a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from low middle-income countries.

Low and middle-income countries (LMIC) have a disproportionately higher alcohol-attributable disease burden, in conjunction with a minimal focus on primary prevention. Screening and brief interventions can be a promising approach to address this problem. This systematic review aimed to perform a qualitative and quantitative synthesis of studies of brief interventions for harmful and hazardous alcohol use in LMIC. Systematic review of randomized controlled trials of brief interventions for harmful and hazardous alcohol identified from four electronic databases, conducted in any country identified as LMIC as per the World Bank. We measured differences in intervention and control groups on risk-scores using standard screening instruments, the frequency of heavy drinking, the drinking risk-level, or quality of life and other mental health-related outcomes. A total of 14 studies were included, seven of them from South Africa. On standardized screening instruments, the brief intervention (BI) group had significantly lower scores than controls at 3months (Hedges' g=- 0.34, P=0.04), but the effects did not persist at 6- and 12-month follow-up (g=- 0.06, P=0.68 and g=0.15, P=0.41, respectively). There was little evidence to suggest that BIs led to changes in the frequency of heavy drinking or change in the risk level of alcohol use. Surprisingly, a single session (g=-0.55, P<0.001) fared better than multiple sessions (g=-0.03, P=0.85). A nurse delivered brief intervention (g=-0.44, P=0.02) showed better results than BIs delivered by others (g=-0.14, P=0.66), whereas the outcomes were similar for young adults and middle-age people. Brief interventions for alcohol use show some promise in low- and middle-income countries. Specifically, a single session, nurse-delivered brief intervention for harmful and hazardous alcohol use appears to show a small but significant positive effect in low- and middle-income countries.

Brief intervention of low carbohydrate dietary advice: clinic results and a review of the literature.

The purpose of the review is to assess the efficacy of a brief intervention of low carbohydrate dietary advice for weight loss in patients with a raised body mass index (BMI) (>25 kg/m2) during routine patient appointments in primary care. Brief interventions in primary care have been shown to be a valuable tool in supporting patients to make lifestyle changes. Low carbohydrate diets have been successful in helping patients lose weight.The authors carried out a retrospective observational study based on the electronic records from a single general practitioner surgery with 7,500 patients in Essex, UK. Low carbohydrate dietary advice was given opportunistically to patients with a raised BMI, over an 18 month period, with advice and weights recorded. In total, 774 patients were given low carbohydrate dietary advice. Overall, 1103 kg of weight was lost by 339 patients, there was a median weight loss of 2.5 kg (interquartile range 0.0-6.0 kg) and a mean weight loss of 3.3 kg. There is no published literature available assessing the efficacy of brief interventions of low carbohydrate dietary advice. Our clinic results indicate that this may be an effective weight loss tool in primary care.

A Pilot Study of an Intervention for Children Using Music Listening and Music Making to Explore Core Emotions and Support Wellbeing

Objective: Music-making and music listening can be experienced as having a positive influence on subjective wellbeing. This mixed methods study reports the development and findings of a pilot music intervention for children to explore core emotions to support feelings of belonging, empathy and self-esteem as key components of wellbeing. Methods: Children (aged 7 - 9 years, n = 17 intervention, n = 15 control) were offered a brief intervention using music to explore five core emotions during a six-week after-school session including joy, sadness, anger, fear and disgust. Quantitative pre/post measures included the primary measure of musical aptitude (PMMA, intervention) and a self-report questionnaire for items operationalised as wellbeing (children and parents). Qualitative methods included brainstorming, audio recordings and storyboarding. Results: Analyses of parent report revealed a significant increase in perceived sense of belonging for their child over time, and a positive association between increased PMMA and belonging from the children suggested the intervention was partially successful. Qualitative data provided insight into how music intervention enabled the development of belonging. Conclusion: The importance of using mixed methods to evaluate the efficacy of brief intervention is identified, and recommendations are made for a revised program using music-making to explore core emotions in children to support well-being in schools.

Efficacy of Brief Intervention for Drug Misuse in Primary Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Many primary care facilities have dedicated significant resources to drug misuse screening and brief intervention (BI). However, the efficacy of BI for drug misuse in primary care has not been substantiated, revealing many non-significant findings. Thus, we aimed to determine the efficacy of BI for drug misuse, length of effects, and benefits among primary care subpopulations. Methods: We searched CENTRAL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and reference lists up to January 13, 2021. The population were patients receiving primary care-delivered BI for drug misuse compared with usual care. Primary outcomes were drug use frequency (days used) and severity on validated scales at 4-8 months. Analyses were conducted using random-effects models. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020157733). Results: We identified 27 studies and analyzed 20 (7471 patients) at three follow-up timepoints for frequency and severity. There was insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of BI for drug misuse in general primary care for use frequency (SMD = -0·07, 95% CI = -0·17, 0·02, p = 0·12, I2 = 37%, high certainty of evidence) and severity (SMD = -0·27, 95% CI = -0·78, 0·24, p = 0·30, I2= 98%, low certainty of evidence). However, subgroup analyses uncovered significant effects for frequency (interaction p = 0·004) with insufficient evidence for hospital/community primary care (SMD = 0·07, 95% CI = -0·03, 0·18, p = 0·08), but significant small effects among emergency department (SMD = -0·15, 95% CI = -0·25, -0·04, p < 0·01) and specialty primary care populations (SMD = -0·19, 95% CI = -0·36, -0·02, p < 0·05).Interpretation: BI for drug misuse is not indicated in general primary care. Department heads could consider continuing BI, noting the small positive effects and confidence intervals found only in emergency and specialty clinics. Funding : Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (P19110 and 19F19110). Declaration of Interest:

Efficacy of brief intervention for drug misuse in primary care facilities: systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

IntroductionDrug misuse is associated with significant global morbidity, mortality, economic costs and social costs. Many primary care facilities have integrated drug misuse screening and brief intervention (BI) into their usual...

Brief Interventions for Cannabis Use in Healthcare Settings: Systematic Review and Meta-analyses of Randomized Trials.

The efficacy of brief interventions for cannabis use was assessed in a systematic review and meta-analyses. Systematic searches in academic databases were conducted, and reference lists of included studies were reviewed. Randomized trials were included that compared brief interventions with minimal control interventions for improving cannabis-specific outcomes among participants recruited from healthcare settings. Mean differences (MDs) based on change-from-baseline measurements were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses, with stratification by short term (≤3 months) and long term (>3 months). Ten reports from 9 studies were included. Most studies were conducted in the United States, including participants who were adults and were recruited from primary care or emergency departments. There were no significant effects of brief interventions on cannabis-specific Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) scores in the short term (MD -1.27 points; 95% confidence interval [CI] -3.75, 1.21; I 84.40%). The null pattern of findings was also observed for number of days of cannabis use in the past 30 days in the short term (MD -0.22 days; 95% CI -2.27, 1.82; I 60.30%) and long term (MD -0.28 days; 95% CI -2.42, 1.86; I 60.50%). The evidence base for other outcomes not subjected to meta-analyses was limited and mixed. Brief interventions did not result in reductions in cannabis-specific ASSIST scores or number of days of cannabis use, whereas the evidence base for other outcomes was limited and mixed. As such, brief interventions in healthcare settings may not be efficacious for cannabis use.

Brief interventions for problem gambling: A meta-analysis.

BackgroundBrief interventions have been increasingly investigated to promote early intervention in gambling problems; an accurate estimate of the impact of these interventions is required to justify their widespread implementation. The goal of the current investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of in-person brief interventions for reducing gambling behaviour and/or problems, by quantifying the aggregate effect size associated with these interventions in the published literature to date.MethodsRandomized controlled trials including the following design features were identified via systematic review: an adult sample experiencing problems associated with gambling; an in-person individual psychosocial intervention of brief duration (≤3 sessions); a control/comparison group; and an outcome related to gambling behaviour and/or problems.ResultsFive records compared brief interventions to assessment only control; using a random effect model, brief interventions were associated with a small but statistically significant reduction in gambling behaviour across short-term follow-up periods versus assessment only control (g = -.19, 95% CI [-.37, -.01]). Aggregate effect sizes for gambling problems and long-term follow-up periods were not statistically significant. Five records compared brief interventions to longer active interventions; there was no significant difference between brief interventions and longer active interventions.ConclusionsResults supported the efficacy of brief interventions for problem gambling compared to inactive control in the reduction of gambling behaviour; no differences were found across brief versus longer interventions for both gambling behaviour and problems. While these findings must be interpreted in the context of the limited number of studies and small magnitude of the combined effect sizes, the current meta-analysis supports the further investigation of the public health impact of these cost-effective interventions.

Brief Alcohol Interventions for Adolescents and Young Adults in Emergency Department Settings: A Descriptive Review and Meta-analysis

Brief interventions have shown promise for reducing alcohol use among adolescents and young adults. However, research on the efficacy of these programs has largely ignored one potentially useful approach—interventions which take place in emergency department settings. The current study combines quantitative and descriptive approaches to synthesize the available literature examining the efficacy of brief interventions for alcohol usage among adolescents and young adults in emergency department settings. One-hundred-thirty-eight effect sizes from 11 studies contributed to an overall weighted average effect size as well as effect sizes for variations related to participant demographics, study characteristics (recruitment, instrumentation, and assessment delay) and intervention details (personnel, focal modality, and intervention components). Descriptive analyses examined many of these variations in more detail. Overall, quantitative summary provided little evidence supporting the efficacy of brief interventions in emergency department settings while descriptive analyses revealed primarily a lack of consistency, especially in the definition of adolescence and operationalization of alcohol usage. In many cases, a lack of detailed enough reporting prevented the identification of patterns which might have been present. The discussion includes a call for more agreement in the field regarding operationalization of adolescence and drinking behavior.

Early Intervention in Gaming Disorder: What Can We Learn from Findings in the Substance Abuse Field?

Gaming disorder (GD) is considered as a condition related to severe functional impairment, and its prevalence reaches meaningful proportions of the general population in many countries. Besides treatment and prevention, early interventions could play a major role to curb this rising public health concern. This review summarizes the available knowledge in this field. Among current systematic reviews on treatment approaches with respect to GD or Internet-related disorders (IDs), only two studies have been found that can be characterized as early interventions. However, findings from the substance abuse field foreshadow the prospects of such approaches for the arena of GD and ID. To date, nearly no evidence according to early interventions for GD or ID exists. Early intervention for GD or ID in settings like primary care or school needs to receive much more attention given the promising population impact that this approach could have. Sound studies testing the efficacy of brief interventions are highly needed.

The Efficacy of a Web-Based Screening and Brief Intervention for Reducing Alcohol Consumption Among Japanese Problem Drinkers: Protocol for a Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundThe literature shows that computer-delivered interventions with personalized normative feedback can reduce problem drinking for up to 6 months in the West. Meanwhile, no studies have been conducted to examine the effects of such interventions among Japanese problem drinkers. Possible moderators associated with effectiveness of the intervention need to be also explored.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to conduct a trial and examine the efficacy of a brief intervention with personal normative feedback and psychoeducation on several measures of alcohol consumption among Japanese problem drinkers. Additionally, this study will examine whether the level of alcohol use disorder and beliefs about the physical and psychological outcomes of drinking moderate the effect of the intervention on outcome measures.MethodsThis study will conduct a single-blind, 2-armed randomized controlled trial. Japanese adults with an Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test score of 8 or higher will be enrolled in the trial. Participants allocated to the intervention group will receive the intervention immediately after the baseline measurements, and participants allocated to the waitlist group will receive the intervention at the end of the trial. Outcome measures include drinking quantity, drinking frequency, and alcohol-related consequences. Follow-up assessment will take place at 1 month, 2 months, and 6 months following the baseline measurement. The authors will not know the group allocation during trial. The authors will plan to collect a sample of 600 participants. Mixed-effect analyses of variance will be used to examine the main effects of condition, the main effects of time, and the interaction effects between condition and time on outcome variables.ResultsEnrollment for the trial began on January 6, 2018 and data are expected to be available by August 2018.ConclusionsThis study will contribute to the literature by demonstrating the efficacy of Web-based screenings and brief interventions among Japanese problem drinkers and indicating several possible moderators between the intervention and outcomes. This type of Web-based brief intervention has the possibility of being implemented in Japanese schools and workplaces as a prevention tool.Trial RegistrationUMIN Clinical Trials Registry R000034388; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi? recptno=R000034388 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xmOoTfTI)Registered Report IdentifierRR1-10.2196/10650

Efficacy of Brief Interventions in Reducing Hazardous or Harmful Alcohol Use in Middle-Income Countries: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

The aim of this paper is to systematically review the efficacy of alcohol brief intervention in middle-income countries. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of face-to-face brief motivational intervention aimed at reducing heavy alcohol use conducted in middle-income countries were identified through electronic databases: Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane Library published up to and including 2015. Methodological quality assessment of the RCTs was made by using two validated tools. Nine RCTs of alcohol brief intervention in middle-income countries met the review's inclusion criteria. The results of five trials suggest a benefit for brief intervention in reducing self-reported hazardous or harmful alcohol use. Methodological quality was found to be adequate using a standard tool, without any serious methodological issues or biases in more than half of the selected trials. The content of brief intervention was based on the principles of motivational interviewing and was delivered by trained nurses in almost all the trials. This systematic review of RCTs on alcohol brief intervention conducted in middle-income countries suggests that brief intervention can help reduce self-reported hazardous or harmful alcohol use in primary-care population.

Efficacy of brief interventions for mental illnesses in low- and middle-income countries

Efficacy of brief interventions for mental illnesses in low- and middle-income countries