Individual drinking changes following a brief intervention among college students: clinical significance in an indicated preventive context.
This study investigated the clinical significance of previously reported statistically significant mean reductions in drinking and related problems among college students in a randomized trial of a brief indicated preventive intervention (G. A. Marlatt et al., 1998). Data were analyzed over a 2-year follow-up for participants from a high-risk intervention group (n = 153), a high-risk control group (n = 160), and a functional comparison group (n = 77). A risk cutpoint for each dependent measure was based on the functional comparison group distribution. Compared with the high-risk controls, more individuals in the high-risk intervention group improved and fewer worsened, especially on alcohol-related problems and, to a lesser extent, on drinking pattern variables. These data from a prevention context clarify the magnitude and direction of individual change obscured by group means.
Roberts
L J
LJ
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. robertsl@u.washington.edu
Neal
D J
DJ
Kivlahan
D R
DR
Baer
J S
JS
Marlatt
G A
GA
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods; D012306:Risk; D016896:Treatment Outcome