Randomized controlled trial of two brief alcohol interventions for OEF/OIF veterans.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of 2 brief interventions for alcohol misuse in a sample of combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.


METHODS
Participants were 68 combat veterans (91.2% male; 64.7% White, 27.9% Black) with a mean age of 32.31 years (SD = 8.84) who screened positive for hazardous drinking in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center primary care clinic using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Babor, Higgins-Biddle, Saunders, & Monteiro, 2001). More than half of the sample (57.4%) met criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; based on the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale; Blake et al., 1995). Eligible veterans who elected to participate completed a baseline assessment and were randomized to receive 1 of 2 interventions (personalized feedback delivered with or without a motivational interviewing counseling session). Both interventions included information on hazardous drinking, PTSD symptoms, depression, and coping. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 6 weeks and 6 months post-intervention.


RESULTS
Both conditions resulted in statistically significant reductions in quantity and frequency of alcohol use as well as frequency of binge drinking and alcohol-related consequences. Within-group effect sizes (ds) were in the small to medium range (.21-.55) for quantity and frequency of alcohol use. There were no statistically significant Condition × Time interactions, suggesting that both interventions were similarly effective. PTSD and non-PTSD veterans responded equally well to both interventions, but veterans with PTSD assigned to feedback plus motivational interviewing reported greater reductions in weekly drinking at the 6-week follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that brief interventions for alcohol misuse may be effective for reducing drinking, even in an Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran population with a high degree of PTSD.
Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis.
Meghan E
ME
McDevitt-Murphy
Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis.
James G
JG
Murphy
Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis.
Joah L
JL
Williams
Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis.
Christopher J
CJ
Monahan
Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis.
Katherine L
KL
Bracken-Minor
Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis.
Jordan A
JA
Fields
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003376:Counseling; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062405:Motivational Interviewing; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult