Assessment Reactivity: Can Assessment of Alcohol Use During Research be an Active Treatment?

Abstract

Assessment reactivity refers to the finding that the action of having a behavior queried, monitored, or become a focus of attention during a research study independently can affect the expression of that behavior regardless of other interventions or manipulations used in the study. This article reviews recent efforts to empirically evaluate the independent impact of assessment reactivity on reducing alcohol use and problems in addition to examining how assessment reactivity may act to reduce alcohol use and related problems. The potential of taking advantage of assessment reactivity in alcohol use disorder treatment is discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Assessment reactivity
• alcohol use disorder treatment
• alcohol use disorder assessment
• motivational interviewing
• brief intervention