The role of brief motivational intervention on self-efficacy and abstinence in a cohort of patients with alcohol dependence.
OBJECTIVE
Brief interventions are effective in reducing heavy drinking in the general population but few studies examined whether it is also effective in alcohol dependent patients, and whether brief intervention increases self-efficacy.


METHODS
One hundred and seven patients with alcohol-dependence were randomized in a controlled trial examining the efficacy of a brief motivational intervention on both self-efficacy level and days of abstinence.


RESULTS
We found that brief motivational interventions had no effect on days of abstinence, nor on self-efficacy, but that high self-efficacy was consistently correlated with a longer period of abstinence, at all assessment-points.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-efficacy appears to be a crucial prognosis factor, and is not influenced by brief motivational interventions. Other types of specific psychotherapy, probably more intensive, may be more efficient in alcohol-dependent patients than motivational interventions.
Romo
Lucia
L
Hôpital Louis Mourier/AP-HP, and Université Paris X-Nanterre, France.
Le Strat
Yann
Y
Aubry
Caroline
C
Marquez
Sonia
S
Houdeyer
Karine
K
Batel
Philippe
P
Adès
Jean
J
Gorwood
Philip
P
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010297:Paris; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016019:Survival Analysis