NCJ Number
213384
Journal
Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 41 Issue: 3 Dated: 2006 Pages: 353-368
Date Published
2006
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study evaluated the feasibility of using an adapted Alcohol Expectancy Challenge (EC) alcohol intervention program in a mixed-gender group of heavy drinking young people in a holiday setting in the Netherlands.
Abstract
Overall, the EC alcohol intervention program was found to have no effect on alcohol use among the adolescent participants. Moreover, the intervention was plagued with recruitment difficulties. However, the EC program was well received among the heavy drinking adolescents who did participate and the program may have had limited positive effects on their alcohol expectancies. As such, the authors conclude that the EC proved feasible in this type of setting. Participants were 170 male and female adolescents recruited from a seaside camping site known for adolescent binge drinking. Participants were randomly assigned to either an EC or an assessment-only control group. Alcohol expectancies and alcohol use in everyday life and on holiday were assessed 1 day before the intervention. One day following the intervention, alcohol expectancies were again assessed and drinking behavior over the past 24 hours was reported in a drinking diary. Telephone interviews were then conducted 6 months following intervention, focusing on alcohol expectancies and drinking behavior over the past 6 months. Data analysis involved mixed analysis of variances (ANOVAs). Future studies should assess implementation issues and recruitment problems before more definitive conclusions can be reached about the value of EC for interventions with heavy-drinking youth in real-life settings. Tables, figures, glossary, references