title: The Moderating Role of Perceived Social Support on Alcohol Treatment Outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the extent to which perceived social support is related to longitudinal treatment outcomes among heavy drinkers randomized to a brief, telephone-based care management intervention versus standard care.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial comparing an enhanced, brief alcohol intervention to standard care. Participants comprised 136 male, heavy drinkers (mean age = 57.3 years) receiving primary care at Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center clinics. Participants in the intervention arm received a telephone-based care management intervention focused on helping patients reduce their alcohol use. Primary measures included the Timeline Followback method for number of heavy drinking days and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support for self-reported baseline social support.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although there was no significant main effect for baseline perceived social support on number of heavy drinking days over time, there was a significant three-way interaction (Perceived Social Support × Randomization Group × Time). Specifically, among patients reporting high support, those randomized to the intervention arm experienced significantly greater declines in number of heavy drinking days over time. Conversely, among patients reporting low support, those randomized to standard care experienced more improvement over the course of followup.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceived social support may be related to differential outcomes depending on whether patients are in care management or standard care. For those receiving brief intervention, certain therapy techniques may mobilize pre-existing social resources and/or enhance the ability for patients to use their social supports, suggesting the need for replication and further research in understanding this interaction.
authors.affiliation: VISN 4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.|Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Shahrzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mavandadi
authors.affiliation: VISN 4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.|Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helstrom
authors.affiliation: VISN 4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.|Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sayers
authors.affiliation: VISN 4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.|Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oslin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D057566:Self Report; D012944:Social Support; D013689:Telephone; D016896:Treatment Outcome