Year of Award

2009

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department or School/College

Department of Psychology

Committee Chair

Bryan Cochran

Commitee Members

Christine Fiore, David Schuldberg, Gydn Swaney, Stephen Yoshimura

Keywords

Alcohol, Feedback, Motivation, Videotape

Abstract

This research examined whether videotaped self-observation of drinking behavior combined with a one-session motivationally-based interview resulted in higher levels of motivation to change drinking behavior, lower levels of quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption, decreases in alcohol-related problem behaviors, and expectations of the positive effects of alcohol for individuals mandated to treatment for alcohol-use disorders. DUI offenders (n = 8) and heavy drinking college students (n = 13) mandated to treatment were randomly assigned to receive treatment as usual at their respective agencies or an experimental video intervention in addition to their regular treatment requirements. Participants were assessed at baseline and at one-month following treatment. Participants in both conditions self-reported significantly fewer alcohol-related problem behaviors at the one month follow-up. A non-significant trend was found between the groups over time for alcohol-related problem behaviors; participants assigned to treatment as usual reported fewer alcohol-related problem behaviors at follow-up relative to participants assigned to the experimental video intervention. An additional non-significant trend was found for movement along the stages of change. Two participants who received the video intervention regressed to previous stage levels and one participant who received treatment as usual moved forward one stage. Most participants assigned to the video intervention reported increased insight into their own drinking behavior following the video viewing. Results from this study suggest that aside from increasing awareness about drinking behavior, the data do not support the use of video self-monitoring of drinking behavior as a treatment intervention for individuals with alcohol-use disorders. Future research may want to incorporate some modified components of the video intervention into existing motivationally-based treatments as a way to increase awareness about drinking behavior.

Download

Share

COinS
 

© Copyright 2009 Wendy M. Rothman