A Randomized Pilot Study Comparing the Efficacy of a Therapist-Delivered Motivational Interview to a Brief Computer-Delivered Intervention

  • Lynn Hernandez Brown University
  • Mary Kathryn Cancilliere Brown University
  • Hannah Graves Brown University
  • Anthony Spirito Brown University
Keywords: Adolescents, substance use, brief interventions, electronic interventions

Abstract

Aims: The purpose of this study was to compare the preliminary efficacy of a computer-assisted intervention (CAI), in which a computer-delivered intervention was immediately followed up with a brief therapist review session, to a therapist-delivered intervention (TDI) for adolescent substance use.
Design, Setting, and Participants: Both conditions were examined in a pilot randomized clinical trial. All participants were recruited from a family court in the northeast United States. The sample included a total of 36 adolescents court-referred for an adolescent substance-related offense.
Measures: Measures included adolescent alcohol and marijuana-use frequency, quantity, and problems as well as self-efficacy to resist the urge to use.
Findings: While no significant time-by-condition differences were noted between the CAI and TDI conditions, significant time effects were found for both the TDI and CAI indicating a decrease in the total number of alcohol- or marijuana-use days over the six-month follow-up period.
Conclusions: Given that CAIs are inexpensive, require minimal training, can be implemented with a high degree of fidelity, and are portable when compared to some TDIs, their use for decreasing substance use and related problems, particularly among adolescents with low access to substance-use interventions, seems promising. A fully powered trial of CAI efficacy is indicated.

Author Biographies

Lynn Hernandez, Brown University
Brown University, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Providence, Rhode Island
Mary Kathryn Cancilliere, Brown University
Brown University, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Providence, Rhode Island
Hannah Graves, Brown University
Brown University, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Providence, Rhode Island
Anthony Spirito, Brown University
Brown University, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Providence, Rhode Island
Published
2019-01-08
How to Cite
Hernandez, L., Cancilliere, M. K., Graves, H., & Spirito, A. (2019). A Randomized Pilot Study Comparing the Efficacy of a Therapist-Delivered Motivational Interview to a Brief Computer-Delivered Intervention. International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, 8(1), 29-36. https://doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.256
Section
Article