Boosting a Teen Substance Use Prevention Program with Motivational Interviewing

Abstract

A brief motivational interviewing (MI) intervention may be a viable adjunct to school-based substance abuse prevention programs. This article describes the development and implementation of a brief MI intervention with 573 adolescents (mean age 16.8; 40.3% female, 68% Latino) enrolled in eight continuation high schools in Southern California. Study participants were assigned to the MI condition in a randomized controlled trial of Project Toward No Drug Abuse. Data are provided on dosage, topics discussed, and quality of MI determined with the Motivational Interviewing Skill Code (MISC). Results suggest that the protocol was feasible and implemented with adequate fidelity. The study's limitations are noted.

RÉSUMÉ

Mots-clés: adolescent, entrevue motivationnelle, abus de substances psychoactives, toxicomanie, alcoolisme, prévention, intervention, téléphone, scolaire, stimulant

Une brève intervention faisant appel à la technique d'entrevue motivationnelle pourra constituer une aide viable dans les programmes de prévention de l'abus de substances psychoactives dans le cadre scolaire. Cet article décrit la mise au point et la mise en œuvre d'une brève intervention de ce type auprès de 573 adolescents (âge moyen, 16,8 ans, 40,3 % de jeunes filles, 68% d'Hispaniques) inscrits dans 8 écoles secondaires post-scolaires de Californie du Sud. Les participants à l’étude ont été affectés à cette intervention lors d'un essai contrôlé randomisé dans le cadre du Project Toward No Drug Abuse (Projet vers le zero usage abusif de substances psychoactives). Des données sont fournies sur le dosage, les sujets discutés et la qualité de l'entrevue motivationnelle déterminée à l'aide du code Motivational Interviewing Skill Code (soit MISC, code de compétence en interview motivationnelle). Les résultats suggèrent que le protocole s'est révélé réalisable et qu'il a été mis en œuvre avec une fidélité adéquate.

RESUMEN

Palabras clave: adolescente, entrevista motivadora, abuso de sustancias, prevención, intervención, teléfono, basado en la escuela, refuerzo

Una breve intervención con una entrevista motivadora (MI, siglas en inglés) podría ser un complemento viable de los programas de prevención de abuso de sustancias basados en la escuela. Este documento describe el desarrollo e implementación de una breve intervención con una entrevista motivadora con 573 adolescentes (de una edad promedio de 16.8; 40.3% mujeres, 68% latinos) inscritos en 8 preparatorias de continuación en el sur de California. Los participantes en el estudio fueron asignados a la condición de Entrevista Motivadora en una prueba controlada al azar del Proyecto Tendiente a Evitar el Abuso de Drogas. Los datos incluyen las dosis, los temas tratados y la calidad de las entrevistas motivadoras determinados mediante el uso del Código de Aptitudes para las Entrevistas Motivadoras (MISC, siglas en inglés). Los resultados sugieren que el protocolo fue viable y que fue implementado con la fidelidad apropiada.

Keywords :

• adolescent
• motivational interviewing
• substance use
• prevention
• intervention
• telephone
• school-based
• booster

THE AUTHORS

Ms. Elizabeth Barnett received her M.S.W. from Boston University in 2000 and is a predoctoral student at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. Her current research interests include the use of motivational interviewing with adolescent substance users.

Dr. Donna Spruijt-Metz’ research focuses on pediatric obesity and is particularly concerned with understanding how psychosocial, metabolic built environmental, and social environmental forces interact to influence behavior and health. She has studied child feeding practices and the impact that these have on childhood obesity. She received her Ph.D. in Adolescent Medicine and Medical Ethics from the Vrije Universitiet Amsterdam. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California's Department of Preventive Medicine and Director, Responsible Conduct in Research for the Keck School of Medicine.

Dr. Jennifer B. Unger is a Professor of Preventive Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. Her research focuses on psychological, social, and cultural risk and protective factors for substance use among adolescents.

Dr. Ping Sun received his Ph.D. in Preventive Medicine in 1999 from the University of South Carolina (USC) School of Medicine. His current research interests include etiology of addiction and outcome evaluation for group randomized health studies.

Dr. Louise A. Rohrbach is currently an Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine at Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, in the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. Her research focuses on interventions to prevent tobacco, alcohol, and other drug abuse among youth. Currently, her primary emphasis is translational research, including investigation of factors that explain and strategies that enhance the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based programs and practices in real-world settings. She has been the principal investigator on a number of National Institutes of Health funded studies and program evaluations and has published widely in the areas of substance use prevention, school-based health, and etiology of adolescent substance use.

Dr. Steve Sussman, Ph.D., FAAHB, FAPA, received his doctorate in social-clinical psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1984. He is a professor of preventive medicine and psychology at the University of Southern California, and he has been at the USC for 27 years. He studies etiology, prevention, and cessation within the addictions arena, broadly defined. He has over 385 publications. His programs include Project Towards No Tobacco Use, Project Towards No Drug Abuse, and Project EX, which are considered model programs at numerous agencies (i.e., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Cancer Institute, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Colorado and Maryland Blueprints, Health Canada, U.S. Department of Energy, and various State Departments of Education). He received the honor of Research Laureate for the American Academy of Health Behavior in 2005, and he was President there (2007–2008). Also, as of 2007, he received the honor of Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 50, Addictions). He is the current Editor of Evaluation & the Health Professions (SAGE Publications).