Brief web-based intervention for college students with comorbid risky alcohol use and depressed mood: does it work and for whom?

Irene M Geisner; Lindsey Varvil-Weld; Angela J Mittmann; Kimberly Mallett; Rob Turrisi

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.10.030

Brief web-based intervention for college students with comorbid risky alcohol use and depressed mood: does it work and for whom?

Addict Behav. 2015 Mar:42:36-43. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.10.030. Epub 2014 Nov 4.

Authors

Irene M Geisner¹, Lindsey Varvil-Weld², Angela J Mittmann³, Kimberly Mallett⁴, Rob Turrisi⁵

Affiliations

¹ Center for the Study of Health and Risk Behaviors, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, 1100 NE 45th Street, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. Electronic address: geisner@u.washington.edu.
² Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Bldg., University Park, PA 16802, USA. Electronic address: lvweld@psu.edu.
³ Center for the Study of Health and Risk Behaviors, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, 1100 NE 45th Street, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. Electronic address: mittmann@u.washington.edu.
⁴ Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Biobehavioral Health Bldg., University Park, PA 16802, USA. Electronic address: kmallett@psu.edu.
⁵ Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 219 Biobehavioral Health Bldg., University Park, PA 16802, USA; Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Biobehavioral Health Bldg., University Park, PA 16802, USA. Electronic address: rjt13@psu.edu.

Abstract

College is a time of increased risk for problematic alcohol use and depressed mood. The comorbidity of these conditions is well documented, but is less well understood, with few interventions designed to prevent or reduce the related consequences. The current study evaluated a web-based personalized intervention for students (N=311) who reported an AUDIT score of 8 or more, a BDI-II score of 14 or more, and reported drinking four (women) or five (men) or more drinks on at least one occasion in the past month.

Method: Invited participants were randomly selected from all enrolled undergraduates at a large, public, Pacific Northwestern University. Participants completed a screening and baseline assessment, and those who met study eligibility criteria were randomized to one of four conditions (alcohol only, depressed mood only, integrated, and referral-only control). Follow-up occurred one-month post-intervention.

Results: While no main effects for the interventions were found, there were moderation effects, such that students in the alcohol only and integrated conditions who had lower levels of depressed mood or alcohol-related problems at baseline showed greater reductions in alcohol-related problems at follow-up compared to students in the control condition. Implications for interventions are discussed.

Keywords: Alcohol use; College students; Depressed mood.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Alcoholism / epidemiology
Alcoholism / psychology
Alcoholism / therapy*
Comorbidity
Depression / epidemiology
Depression / psychology
Depression / therapy*
Female
Humans
Internet*
Male
Psychotherapy, Brief / methods*
Risk-Taking*
Severity of Illness Index
Students / psychology*
Therapy, Computer-Assisted / methods
Treatment Outcome
Universities*
Young Adult

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding