Gloria I. Leo

The reliability of the Alcohol Timeline Followback when administered by telephone and by computer

The Alcohol Timeline Followback (TLFB) has been shown to be a psychometrically sound assessment instrument for obtaining retrospective daily estimates of alcohol consumption. These evaluations, however, have been limited to face-to-face paper-and-pencil interviews. As use of the TLFB method has increased, investigators have reported using the method to collect follow-up data by telephone. Also, as with many assessment instruments, a computerized version of the TLFB method has been developed. The psychometric characteristics of the TLFB method under these administration conditions have not been evaluated. This paper presents results from two studies showing that the Alcohol TLFB method can obtain reliable drinking data when administered over the telephone and by computer.

Fostering self-change among problem drinkers: A proactive community intervention☆

This paper describes the rationale and design for a recently implemented study involving a community-based intervention designed to foster self-change for individuals who otherwise would be unlikely to seek formal help or treatment for their alcohol problem. The study is based on research examining natural recovery processes with alcohol abusers and on clinical trials using a Guided Self-Change model of treatment with problem drinkers. Advertisements and mailed pamphlets are used to solicit individuals who wanted to change their drinking on their own using self-help materials. Respondents are screened and, if eligible, are randomly assigned to two conditions: Guided Self-Change (GSC) or Educational Materials Control (EMC) (projected N = 788): All subjects complete and mail in several brief assessment forms. Subjects in the GSC group receive advice and personalized feedback based on their assessment answers. Subjects in the EMC group receive educational pamphlets prepared for general medical and mental health settings. Subject characteristics and drinking-related history variables for the first 10% of the sample are presented. Subjects will be followed up at 12 months following the intervention.

Problem Drinkers' Perceptions of Whether Treatment Goals Should Be Self-Selected or Therapist-Selected

Social cognitive theory predicts that persons will be more motivated to achieve goals that they select. One hundred fifty eight alcohol abusers in outpatient treatment were asked about their goal selection preferences (i.e., self-selection, therapist-selection) and how likely they would be to achieve goals set by themselves or by a therapist. A clear majority indicated they preferred goal self-selection, and that they would be more likely to achieve self-set goals. Clients with more serious drinking problems were significantly more likely to favor therapist-set goals. Significantly more clients with at least some university education preferred self-selection of goals as compared to lesser educated clients.