An intervention to increase alcohol treatment engagement: A pilot trial.

Author(s): Stecker T, McGovern MP, Herr B

Affiliation(s): Psychiatric Research Center, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, NH, USA; VA Health Services Research and Development, White River Junction Veterans Administration, White River Junction, VT, USA.

Publication date & source: 2011-12-02, J Subst Abuse Treat., [Epub ahead of print]

OBJECTIVES: Previous research has documented the difficulty individuals with alcohol use disorders have initiating alcohol treatment. This study assessed the feasibility of a brief, cognitive-behavioral intervention designed to increase treatment initiation among individuals with alcohol use disorders. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial included 196 participants who screened positive for a possible alcohol use disorder on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Randomly assigned intervention participants were administered a brief cognitive-behaviorally-based intervention by telephone designed to modify beliefs that may interfere with treatment-seeking behavior. Beliefs about treatment and treatment-seeking behavior were assessed postintervention. RESULTS: Participants receiving the intervention had significantly improved their attitudes toward addiction treatment (p < .002) and increased their reported intention-to-seek treatment (p < .000) postintervention. Further, intervention participants were almost three times more likely to attend treatment within a 3-month period (odds ratio = 2.60, p < .025) than participants in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: A brief, cognitive-behavioral intervention delivered by telephone and focused on modifying treatment-interfering beliefs holds promise for increasing alcohol treatment seeking among individuals in need. Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.