Alcohol treatment research assessment exposure subject reactivity effects: part I. Alcohol use and related consequences.
OBJECTIVE
There has been increasing recognition among alcohol treatment researchers that research assessment exposure subject reactivity effects can contribute to clinical outcomes, decrease study design sensitivity, and confound research findings. The present study is an experimental investigation of two of the more salient components of the research assessment interview (i.e., frequency and comprehensiveness) and their effects on clinical outcomes (Part I: Alcohol Use and Related Consequences) and treatment participation (Part II: Treatment Engagement and Involvement).


METHODS
The study design was a 2 (Frequency of Assessment) x 2 (Comprehensiveness of Assessment) completely randomized factorial, and study participants were randomly assigned, using an urn randomization procedure, to one of the resulting four experimental research assessment exposure conditions: (1) frequent-comprehensive, (2) frequent-brief, (3) infrequent-comprehensive, and (4) infrequent-brief. Study participants were recruited from one of two hospital-based outpatient alcohol- and other substance-abuse clinics. Two hundred thirty-five subjects were randomly assigned to one of the four research assessment exposure conditions.


RESULTS
Research assessment exposure subject reactivity effects were related significantly to alcohol use and related negative consequences, such that subjects assigned to the infrequent-brief research assessment exposure condition reported the poorest outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
The research protocols used to study alcohol treatments have clinical efficacy and can alter the outcomes (e.g., alcohol use) under investigation. It is important for researchers to control/account for subject reactivity effects when conducting alcohol treatment outcome trials. Accurate interpretation of data derived from clinical trials of alcohol treatments necessitates taking research assessment exposure subject reactivity effects into consideration.
Clifford
Patrick R
PR
School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, 683 Hoes Lane West, 3rd Floor, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA. patrick.clifford@umdnj.edu
Maisto
Stephen A
SA
Davis
Christine M
CM
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012107:Research Design; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome