The effectiveness of motivational interviewing delivered by youth workers in reducing drinking, cigarette and cannabis smoking among young people: Quasi-experimental pilot study

TitleThe effectiveness of motivational interviewing delivered by youth workers in reducing drinking, cigarette and cannabis smoking among young people: Quasi-experimental pilot study
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2005
AuthorsGray, E, McCambridge, J, Strang, J
JournalAlcohol and Alcoholism
Volume40
Pagination535-539
PublisherOxford Univ Press
Place PublishedUnited Kingdom
Publication Languageeng
ISBN Number0735-04141464-3502
Accession Number2005-12572-011. First Author & Affiliation: Gray, Emily
KeywordsAdolescent Attitudes, Alcohol Drinking, Alcohol Drinking Patterns, behavior change, Cannabis, cannabis smoking, cigarette smoking, Drug Usage, Experimentation, interviewing, Motivation, motivational interviewing, motivational interviewing effectiveness, Tobacco Smoking, youth workers
Abstract

Aim: To test whether a single session of Motivational Interviewing (MI) focussing on drinking alcohol, and cigarette and cannabis smoking, would successfully lead to reductions in use or problems. Methods: Naturalistic quasi-experimental study, in 162 young people (mean age 17 years) who were daily cigarette smokers, weekly drinkers or weekly cannabis smokers, comparing 59 receiving MI with 103 non-intervention assessment-only controls. MI was delivered in a single session by youth workers or by the first author. Assessment was made of changes in self-reported cigarette, alcohol, cannabis use and related indicators of risk and problems between recruitment and after 3 months by self-completion questionnaire. Results: 87% of subjects (141 of 162) were followed up. The most substantial evidence of benefit was achieved in relation to alcohol consumption, with those receiving MI drinking on average two days per month less than controls after 3 months. Weaker evidences of impact on cigarette smoking, and no evidence of impact on cannabis use, were obtained. Conclusions: Evidence of effectiveness for the delivery of MI by youth workers in routine conditions has been identified. However, the extent of benefit is much more modest than previously identified in efficacy studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract)

URLhttp://libproxy.unm.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2005-12572-011&login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=siteJ.McCambridge@iop.kcl.ac.ukhttp://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/40/6/535.full.pdf
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