A brief psychological intervention that reduces adolescent alcohol consumption.

ARMITAGE, Christopher J., ROWE, Richard, ARDEN, Madelynne and HARRIS, Peter R. (2014). A brief psychological intervention that reduces adolescent alcohol consumption. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 82 (3), 546-550.

[img]
Preview
PDF
Armitage_brief_psychological_2014.pdf - Accepted Version
All rights reserved.

Download (281kB) | Preview
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0035802
Link to published version:: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035802

Abstract

Objective: Alcohol consumption in adolescence is associated with problem drinking in later life, and there is a need to develop evidence-based interventions to reduce adolescent alcohol consumption. The aims of the present study were to test the ability of a very brief intervention based on self-affirmation theory to reduce alcohol consumption in a sample of adolescents and to examine potential mediators of the effects. Method: 67 adolescents were randomly allocated either to form a self-affirming implementation intention or to complete a distractor task. All participants were exposed to a threatening message concerning the health risks of alcohol consumption. The main outcome measure was subsequent alcohol intake, but message processing (operationalized as perceived threat and message derogation), behavioral intention, and self-efficacy were also measured as potential mediators. Results: The intervention produced a significant decrease in alcohol consumption: Participants in the self-affirming implementation intention condition consumed 2.48 fewer grams of pure alcohol per day at the end of the study than adolescents who completed the distractor task. The effect was not mediated by perceived threat, message derogation, behavioral intention, or self-efficacy. Conclusions: The findings provide support for the efficacy of the self-affirming implementation intention for promoting health behavior change and extend previous research by testing an adolescent sample and observing longer term effects. Further research is needed to find out what mediates the effects of self-affirming implementation intentions on health behavior change.

Item Type: Article
Research Institute, Centre or Group - Does NOT include content added after October 2018: Psychology Research Group
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035802
Page Range: 546-550
Depositing User: Ann Betterton
Date Deposited: 04 Dec 2014 16:24
Last Modified: 18 Mar 2021 13:32
URI: https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/8911

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics