title: Behavioral economic predictors of brief alcohol intervention outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study attempted to determine whether behavioral economic indices of elevated alcohol reward value, measured before and immediately after a brief alcohol intervention, predict treatment response.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 133 heavy drinking college students (49.6% female, 51.4% male; 64.3% Caucasian, 29.5% African American) who were randomized to 1 of 3 conditions: motivational interviewing plus personalized feedback (brief motivational interventions; BMI), computerized personalized feedback intervention (electronic check-up to go; e-CHUG), and assessment only.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline level of alcohol demand intensity (maximum consumption) significantly predicted drinks per week and alcohol problems at 1-month follow-up and baseline relative discretionary expenditures on alcohol significantly predicted drinks per week and alcohol problems at 6-month follow-up. BMI and e-CHUG were associated with an immediate postsession reduction in alcohol demand (p < .001, ηp2 = .29) that persisted at the 1-month follow-up, with greater postsession reductions in the BMI condition (p = .02, ηp2 = .06). Reductions in demand intensity and Omax (maximum expenditure) immediately postintervention significantly predicted drinking reductions at 1-month follow up (p = .04, ΔR2 = .02, and p = .01, ΔR2 = .03, respectively). Reductions in relative discretionary expenditures on alcohol at 1-month significantly predicted drinking (p = .002, ΔR2 = .06,) and alcohol problem (p < .001, ΔR2 = .13) reductions at the 6-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that behavioral economic reward value indices may function as risk factors for poor intervention response and as clinically relevant markers of change in heavy drinkers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Memphis.
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Memphis.
authors.forename: Ashley A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Dennhardt
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Memphis.
authors.forename: Ali M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Yurasek
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego.
authors.forename: Jessica R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Skidmore
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri.
authors.forename: Matthew P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, DeGroote School of Medicine, MacMaster University.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: MacKillop
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Memphis.
authors.forename: Meghan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: McDevitt-Murphy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000191:economics*; D000067292:Alcohol Drinking in College / Q000523:psychology*; D060909:Economics, Behavioral; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062405:Motivational Interviewing / Q000379:methods*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012201:Reward; D055815:Young Adult