The purpose of this study is to test - in a workplace setting - if an online multi-session alcohol intervention improves treatment effect over and above a single session screening with feedback. Hypothesis: automated online multi-session follow-up improves the effect on alcohol consumption over and above a single session screening
Setting: Online study among Norwegian employees. Participants: At-risk drinkers among employees in a select group of norwegian workplaces is recruited through an e-mail to their job e-mail account, and advertisements on the intranet of their organization. Design: Randomized controlled trial (RCT). Subjects in both conditions receives a single session screening procedure including individualized normative feedback. The control group receives an online booklet about the effects of alcohol. The treatment group receives the multi session follow up program "Balance".
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
85
An online single session screening procedure including individualized normative feedback.
An online booklet that covers general information about alcohol, its effect on the brain and the body, potential risks and harms of drinking, and an account of the threshold values of sensible drinking
An online multi session follow-up program (i.e., "Balance"). The central concept of Balance is to support continued self-regulation throughout the behavior change process. There are four key aspects of the program, the first is focus on goal setting and tracking of alcohol consumption on a day-to-day basis. The second on relapse prevention - for example, when clients report drinking more than their target, they receive individualized content aimed at preventing a full blown relapse. The third is emotion regulation, where content and assignments from positive psychology and from cognitive behavioral therapy are used. Finally, intervention covers alcohol education (i.e. the same topics as in the booklet provided to the control group).
The Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research, University of Oslo
Oslo, Norway
The number of standard alcohol units consumed during the previous seven days
Subjects are asked to indicate (through online questionnaires) how many standard alcohol units they consumed on each of the previous seven days, on a scale from zero to ten. Then a sum-score for weekly consumption is calculated, ranging from zero to 70.
Time frame: Measured six months after enrollment/baseline
Sick leave during last week
Sick leave was assessed with a "yes" or "no" response for each of the past seven days, and then accumulated, resulting in a score of zero to seven. Participants were instructed to report any sick leave regardless of reason.
Time frame: Assessed at six months post baseline
Negative consequences of alcohol consumption
Perceived negative consequences of own alcohol consumption, during the seven previous days, was assessed by a 13 item index, resulting in a sum score with a theoretical range from zero to 13. The items comprised: headache, nausea, anxiety, worn out, depressed, breaking a plan, breaking a date, sick leave, memory problems, bad conscience, conflict, destroyed something and injuries.
Time frame: Assessed at six months post baseline
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