Impulsive or Depressive Personality Traits Do Not Impede Behavioral Change After Brief Alcohol Interventions

ABSTRACT

The authors investigated whether impulsivity and depression affect the success of interventions to reduce alcohol use. Unadjusted and adjusted regression models were constructed to analyze the effect of impulsivity and depression on 12-month outcomes of participants of a trauma center based randomized trial of brief personalized motivational interventions versus information and advice. Of 497 problem drinkers enrolled in the program, 248 completed the 12-month follow-up. Impulsivity, male gender, being older than 35, and intentional mechanism of injury had a direct association with drinking. After interventions, a decrease in drinking was found that was unaffected by the presence of impulsivity or depression indicators.

KEYWORDS:

• Depression
• impulsivity
• brief intervention
• alcoholism
• alcohol abuse
• injury
• trauma patients

Acknowledgments

Supported by N.I.A.A.A. - 2 RO1 AA09050-04A2 “Alcohol Abuse/Dependence in Trauma Patients.”

The authors thank Karen Murdock for her assistance with proofreading and editing.

This study could not have been accomplished without the assistance of the following individuals: Mary Woodman, BS; Paula Moylan, BS – National Study Center for Trauma and EMS, University of Maryland School of Medicine. Lori Bellino, PhD; Angela Marinilli, PhD; Danielle Black, MS; Judy Dedeyn, MS; Janine Delahanty, PhD; Amanda Gmyrek, MS; Sharon Hoover, MS; Amy Malkin, MS; Tara Neavins, MS; Melissa Nidecker, MS; Manu Singh, MS; Elise Vestal, MS; Catharine Weiss, MS; Shannon Whyte, MS; Jamie Winters, MS – Department of Psychology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Catonsville, MD. Christopher Welsh, MD; Eric Weintraub, MD; Mary Hirsch, RN; Lauren Broyles, RN; Anna Blasetti, BS – Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD.