Mara Wurdak

Effectiveness of a drinking-motive-tailored emergency-room intervention among adolescents admitted to hospital due to acute alcohol intoxication — A randomized controlled trial

The aim of this study is to develop and test the effectiveness of a drinking-motive-tailored intervention for adolescents hospitalized due to alcohol intoxication in eight cities in Germany between December 2011 and May 2012 against a similar, non-motive-tailored intervention. In a randomized controlled trial, 254 adolescents received a psychosocial intervention plus motive-tailored (intervention group; IG) or general exercises (control group; CG). Adolescents in the IG received exercises in accordance with their drinking motives as indicated at baseline (e.g. alternative ways of spending leisure time or dealing with stress). Exercises for the CG contained alcohol-related information in general (e.g. legal issues). The data of 81 adolescents (age: M = 15.6, SD = 1.0; 42.0% female) who participated in both the baseline and the follow-up were compared using ANOVA with repeated measurements and effect sizes (available case analyses). Adolescents reported lower alcohol use at the four-week follow-up independently of the kind of intervention. Significant interaction effects between time and IG were found for girls in terms of drinking frequency (F = 7.770, p < 0.01) and binge drinking (F = 7.0005, p < 0.05) but not for boys. For the former, the proportional reductions and corresponding effect sizes of drinking frequency (d = − 1.18), binge drinking (d = − 1.61) and drunkenness (d = − 2.87) were much higher than the .8 threshold for large effects. Conducting psychosocial interventions in a motive-tailored way appears more effective for girls admitted to hospital due to alcohol intoxication than without motive-tailoring. Further research is required to address the specific needs of boys in such interventions. (German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS ID: DRKS00005588).

Effectiveness of a brief intervention with and without booster session for adolescents hospitalized due to alcohol intoxication

Abstract Background: The Hart-am-LimiT (HaLT) project is a brief intervention program for adolescents hospitalized due to alcohol intoxication in Germany. Objective: To test whether a booster session has an impact on participants’ drinking behavior compared with the standard HaLT program. Methods: On the morning after their admission due to alcohol intoxication, 411 adolescents in the Federal State of Bavaria were interviewed between October 2008 and January 2010 and socio-demographic data and information on previous drinking behavior were recorded (t1). Eleven to 25 months (M = 16.4) after their hospital treatment, 106 adolescents completed an online questionnaire (t2). Results: Subgroup analysis (ANOVA with repeated measurements) indicated that adolescents who took part in the booster session did not increase episodic heavy drinking (EHD; t1: M = 1.68 EHD d; t2: 1.59 EHD d) in contrast to the non-participating group (t1: M = 1.08 d EHD; t2: 2.66 d EHD; F = 4.383, p = 0.039). Conclusion: Considering the study’s limitations (e.g. no randomization, low response rate, etc.), the results indicate a positive effect of a booster session following a brief intervention for adolescents who have been treated in hospital due to alcohol intoxication. Adolescents should therefore be motivated and encouraged to participate in booster sessions.

Was tun bei Alkoholintoxikation im Kindes- und Jugendalter?

Riskante Alkoholkonsummuster sind in den letzten Jahren stark in das Zentrum des medialen Interesses gerückt. Die Thematik wird mit besorgniserregenden Begriffen wie „Komatrinken“ oder „saufen bis der Notarzt kommt“ umschrieben. Einseitige Berichterstattungen führen zu einer Verunsicherung der ohnehin schon alarmierten Leser.

Effectiveness of an email-based intervention helping parents to enhance alcohol-related parenting skills and reduce their children’s alcohol consumption – A randomised controlled trial

Abstract Aims: Developing and evaluating an email-based intervention (EBI) to enhance alcohol-related parenting skills and reduce alcohol consumption among adolescents. Methods: Over four weeks, participating parents received a weekly email containing scientific findings, practical advice and exercises in relation to such topics as alcohol-related rule-setting and communication. Using a randomised controlled trial (ID: DRKS00007763), data from 467 parents and 173 adolescents were collected via self-report online questionnaires and analysed by means of repeated measures analysis of variance. Findings: Controlling for baseline, parents in the intervention group (IG) scored higher for being informed (parents of girls: F = 19.023, p = 0.000; parents of boys: F = 30.294, p = 0.000) and for self-efficacy (parents of girls: F = 6.122, p = 0.014; parents of boys: F = 10.195, p = 0.002) at follow-up and, in the case of boys, were more successful in maintaining strict rules on alcohol consumption (F = 13.704, p = 0.000) than parents in the control group (CG) (girls: F = 1.627; p = 0.204). Boys whose parents were in the IG reported less heavy episodic drinking at follow-up (F = 4.192, p = 0.043), controlled for baseline, than those with parents in the CG (girls: F = 0.567; p = 0.454). Conclusions: The EBI has positive effects on alcohol-related parenting and may reduce heavy episodic drinking among boys. Since it is delivered via email, the programme has considerable potential to reach many parents at low cost.