This article presents the findings and methodology of an evaluation of a program called Guided Self-Change (GSC), which used brief motivational interventions (BMI) and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) with a sample of predominantly minority youth to address substance use and aggressive behavior.
Adolescent substance use and abuse is a pressing public health problem and is strongly related to interpersonal aggression. Such problems disproportionately impact minority youth, who have limited access to evidence-based interventions such as ecological family therapies, brief motivational interventions (BMI), and cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT). The current project conducted a school-based RCT with 514 high school students (mean age 16.24 years, 41 percent female, 80 percent minority) who reported using substances and aggressive behavior. The evaluation used structural equation modeling to compare participants randomly assigned to receive GSC or standard care (SC; education/assessment/referral-only), at post-treatment, and 3- and 6-months post-treatment. Participants were assessed on alcohol use, drug use, and interpersonal aggression outcomes as assessed by the Timeline Follow-Back. The evaluation found that compared with SC participants, GSC participants showed significant reductions (p < .05) in total number of alcohol-use days (Cohen’s d =0.45 at post-treatment, and 0.20 at 3-months post-treatment), drug-use days (Cohen’s d =0.22 at post-treatment, and 0.20 at 3 months after treatment), and incidents of aggressive behavior (Cohen’s d =0.23 at post-treatment). Treatment effects did not vary by gender or ethnicity. The evaluation concluded GSC holds promise as an early intervention in schools with minority youth experiencing mild to moderate problems with substance use and aggressive behavior. (publisher abstract modified)