Effectiveness of a brief intervention with and without booster session for adolescents hospitalized due to alcohol intoxication

Abstract

Background: The Hart-am-LimiT (HaLT) project is a brief intervention program for adolescents hospitalized due to alcohol intoxication in Germany.

Objective: To test whether a booster session has an impact on participants’ drinking behavior compared with the standard HaLT program.

Methods: On the morning after their admission due to alcohol intoxication, 411 adolescents in the Federal State of Bavaria were interviewed between October 2008 and January 2010 and socio-demographic data and information on previous drinking behavior were recorded (t1). Eleven to 25 months (M = 16.4) after their hospital treatment, 106 adolescents completed an online questionnaire (t2).

Results: Subgroup analysis (ANOVA with repeated measurements) indicated that adolescents who took part in the booster session did not increase episodic heavy drinking (EHD; t1: M = 1.68 EHD d; t2: 1.59 EHD d) in contrast to the non-participating group (t1: M = 1.08 d EHD; t2: 2.66 d EHD; F = 4.383, p = 0.039).

Conclusion: Considering the study’s limitations (e.g. no randomization, low response rate, etc.), the results indicate a positive effect of a booster session following a brief intervention for adolescents who have been treated in hospital due to alcohol intoxication. Adolescents should therefore be motivated and encouraged to participate in booster sessions.

• Adolescents
• alcohol intoxication
• prevention

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the team at the Bayerische Akademie für Sucht- und Gesundheitsfragen and Susanne Eggers and Gemma Brown for their support with the translation and revision of the manuscript. They also extend their sincere thanks to all those who participated in the study.

Funding

The study was supported by research grants from the Federal Ministry of Environment and Health (Bavaria) and the University of Bamberg. The authors are not in receipt of funding from the alcohol industry.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.