title: Brief intervention for drug-abusing adolescents in a school setting: outcomes and mediating factors.
abstract: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the use of two brief intervention conditions for adolescents (aged 12-18 years) who have been identified in a school setting as abusing alcohol and other drugs. Adolescents and their parents (N = 315) were randomly assigned to receive either a two-session adolescent-only (BI-A), two-session adolescent and additional parent session (BI-AP), or assessment-only control condition (CON). Interventions were manually guided and delivered in a school setting by trained counselors. Adolescents and parents were assessed at intake and at 6 months following the completion of the intervention. Analyses of relative (change from intake to 6 months) and absolute (status at 6 months) outcome variables indicated that for the most part, adolescents in the BI-A and BI-AP conditions showed significantly more reductions in drug use behaviors compared with the CON group. In addition, youth receiving the BI-AP condition showed significantly better outcomes compared with the BI-A group on several variables. Problem-solving skills and use of additional counseling services mediated outcome. The value of a school-based brief intervention for students is discussed.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. winte001@umn.edu
authors: Ken C
authors: KC
authors: Winters
authors: Tamara
authors: T
authors: Fahnhorst
authors: Andria
authors: A
authors: Botzet
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Lee
authors: Britani
authors: B
authors: Lalone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011340:Problem Solving; D012572:School Health Services; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome