Brief Motivational Interventions Are Associated with Reductions in Alcohol‐Induced Blackouts Among Heavy Drinking College Students

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nAlcohol-induced blackouts, a form of anterograde amnesia that restricts the encoding of short-term memories into long-term ones, are among the most severe alcohol-related consequences. College students are at high risk of experiencing alcohol-induced blackouts, and there is a need to determine whether alcohol interventions can effectively reduce blackouts in this population. The current study uses data from 3 randomized clinical trials to examine the effect of various intervention approaches on alcohol-induced blackouts.\n\n\nMETHODS\nFour interventions were compared over 3 studies: (i) a computerized feedback intervention (electronic Check-Up To Go [e-Chug]; Study 1); (ii) a single-session brief motivational intervention (BMI; Study 1); (iii) a BMI plus behavioral economic session focused on increasing substance-free activities (BMI\xa0+\xa0Substance-Free Activity Session [SFAS]; Studies 2 and 3); and (iv) a BMI plus supplemental Relaxation Training session (BMI\xa0+\xa0Relaxation Training; Studies 2 and 3). Studies 1 and 3 also included an assessment-only control condition. For each study, participants reported whether they had experienced an alcohol-induced blackout at each time point; binary logistic regressions examined differential likelihood of experiencing an alcohol-induced blackout over time.\n\n\nRESULTS\nNeither the single-session BMI nor e-Chug reduced alcohol-induced blackouts over assessment only; however, participants in the BMI\xa0+\xa0SFAS or BMI\xa0+\xa0Relaxation Training condition were significantly less likely to experience an alcohol-induced blackout compared to assessment only at 1-month (Wald\xa0=\xa04.77, odds ratio [OR]\xa0=\xa00.53, p\xa0=\xa00.03) and 6-month follow-ups (Wald\xa0=\xa05.72, OR\xa0=\xa00.52, p\xa0=\xa00.02). Study 2 also revealed a larger effect for the BMI\xa0+\xa0SFAS over the BMI\xa0+\xa0Relaxation Training condition at 6\xa0months (Wald\xa0=\xa04.11 OR\xa0=\xa00.22, p\xa0=\xa00.043), although this was not replicated in Study 3. The effects for the 2-session BMIs lasted 6\xa0months, at which point maturation effects diminished differences between assessment-only and intervention conditions.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nTwo sessions of BMI are a substantial enough dose to result in reductions in alcohol-induced blackouts among college student heavy drinkers.