Effectiveness of a Web-based Alcohol-Misuse and Harm-Prevention Course Among High- and Low-Risk Students

BACKGROUND Alcohol misuse is a major social and public health issue in Australia, with an estimated cost to the community of Aus $30 billion per annum. Until recently, a major barrier in addressing this significant public health issue is the fact that the majority of individuals with alcohol use disorders and alcohol misuse are not receiving treatment. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess whether alcohol consumption changes are associated with participation in Hello Sunday Morning’s blog platform, an online forum discussing experiences in abstaining from alcohol. METHODS The study reports on Hello Sunday Morning participants who signed up for a 3-month period of abstinence from November 2009 to November 2016. The sample comprised 1917 participants (female: 1227/1917, 64.01%; male: 690/1917, 35.99%). Main outcome measures were Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores, mood, program engagement metrics, and slip-ups. RESULTS Individuals who reported hazardous (preprogram AUDIT mean 11.92, SD 2.25) and harmful consumption levels (preprogram AUDIT mean 17.52, SD 1.08) and who engaged in the Hello Sunday Morning program reported a significant decrease in alcohol consumption, moving to lower risk consumption levels (hazardous, mean 7.59, SD 5.70 and harmful, mean 10.38, SD 7.43), 4 months following program commencement (P<.001). Those who reported high-risk or dependent consumption levels experienced the biggest reduction (preprogram mean 25.38, SD 4.20), moving to risky consumption (mean 15.83, SD 11.11), 4 months following program commencement (P<.001). These reductions in risk were maintained by participants in each group, 7 months following program commencement. Furthermore, those who engaged in the program more (as defined by more sign-ins, blogs posted, check-ins completed, and engagement with the community through likes and following) had lower alcohol consumption. Finally, those who experienced more slip-ups had lower alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS Participation in an online forum can support long-term behavior change in individuals wishing to change their drinking behavior. Importantly, reductions in AUDIT scores appeared larger for those drinking at high-risk and hazardous levels before program commencement. This has promising implications for future models of alcohol reduction treatment, as online forums are an anonymous, accessible, and cost-effective alternative or adjunct to treatment-as-usual. Further research is needed into the specific mechanisms of change within a Web-based supportive community, as well as the role of specific mood states in predicting risky drinking behavior.

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User rating of a web-based, personalized alcohol misuse prevention feedback program

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e429372005-001 ◽

2003 ◽

Author(s):

C. M. Simon-Arndt ◽

S. L. Hurtado ◽

L. A. Patriarca-Troyk

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Misuse ◽

Web Based ◽

Feedback Program

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Web-Based Parenting Program to Prevent Adolescent Alcohol Misuse: Rationale and Development

Australasian Psychiatry ◽

10.3109/10398562.2011.603334 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 339-344 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Marie Yap ◽

Anthony Jorm ◽

Renée Bazley ◽

Claire Kelly ◽

Siobhan Ryan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Misuse ◽

Parenting Program ◽

Web Based ◽

Adolescent Alcohol

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Be a Mom’s Efficacy in Enhancing Positive Mental Health among Postpartum Women Presenting Low Risk for Postpartum Depression: Results from a Pilot Randomized Trial

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17134679 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (13) ◽

pp. 4679

Author(s):

Fabiana Monteiro ◽

Marco Pereira ◽

Maria Cristina Canavarro ◽

Ana Fonseca

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Postpartum Depression ◽

Preliminary Investigation ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Positive Mental Health ◽

Low Risk ◽

Control Group ◽

Postpartum Women ◽

Web Based

In this study, we conducted a preliminary investigation of the efficacy of Be a Mom, a web-based self-guided intervention, in enhancing positive mental health among postpartum women at low risk for postpartum depression. Additionally, we examined Be a Mom’s efficacy regarding secondary outcomes as well as its acceptability and adherence. A total of 367 participants were randomly assigned to the Be a Mom group (n = 191) or to the waiting-list control group (n = 176) and completed baseline (T1) and postintervention (T2) assessments. The intervention group reported significant increases in positive mental health between T1 and T2 compared to the control group. Additionally, group effects were found for depressive and anxiety symptoms. A significantly higher proportion of participants in the Be a Mom group had an improvement trajectory (from not flourishing at T1 to flourishing at T2). A total of 62 (32.5%) women completed Be a Mom, and most would use it again if needed (n = 82/113; 72.6%). This study provides preliminary evidence of Be a Mom’s efficacy in increasing positive mental health among low-risk postpartum women. Our findings support mental health promotion strategies in the postpartum period and highlight the important role of web-based CBT interventions.

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Widening Access to Treatment for Alcohol Misuse: Description and Formative Evaluation of an Innovative Web-Based Service in One Primary Care Trust

Alcohol and Alcoholism ◽

10.1093/alcalc/ags096 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 (6) ◽

pp. 697-701 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Elizabeth Murray ◽

Stuart Linke ◽

Elissa Harwood ◽

Sophie Conroy ◽

Fiona Stevenson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Formative Evaluation ◽

Alcohol Misuse ◽

Primary Care Trust ◽

Access To Treatment ◽

Web Based ◽

Widening Access

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Acceptance of Web-Based Personalized Feedback: User Ratings of an Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Targeting U.S. Marines

Health Communication ◽

10.1207/s15327027hc2001_2 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 13-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

C. M. Simon-Arndt ◽

S. L. Hurtado ◽

L. A. Patriarca-Troyk

Keyword(s):

Prevention Program ◽

Alcohol Misuse ◽

Personalized Feedback ◽

Web Based ◽

User Ratings

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Be a Mom, a Web-Based Intervention to Promote Positive Mental Health Among Postpartum Women With Low Risk for Postpartum Depression: Exploring Psychological Mechanisms of Change

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.701107 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Fabiana Monteiro ◽

Marco Pereira ◽

Maria Cristina Canavarro ◽

Ana Fonseca

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Positive Mental Health ◽

Low Risk ◽

Control Group ◽

Postpartum Women ◽

Psychological Processes ◽

Web Based ◽

Self Compassion

Background: This study explored whether Be a Mom, a brief and unguided cognitive behavioral web-based intervention, was effective in promoting psychological processes (self-compassion, psychological flexibility, emotion regulation) among low-risk postpartum women. Effects of Be a Mom in psychological processes compared with a control group were examined at post-intervention and at 4-months follow-up. Additionally, this work explored whether changes in psychological processes mediated improvements in positive mental health at postintervention.Methods: In total, 367 postpartum women presenting low risk for postpartum depression were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 191) or to a waiting-list control group (n = 176).Results: Compared with the control group, the intervention group reported significantly greater baseline to postintervention increases in self-compassion. No significant effects were found at the 4-month follow-up. Multilevel mediation showed that self-compassion improvements significantly mediated improvements in positive mental health among the intervention group. No significant results were found for psychological flexibility or emotion regulation.Conclusions: This study suggests that Be a Mom has the potential to cultivate self-compassion among low-risk postpartum women and that this may be a key mechanism for promoting positive mental health in this context.Clinical Trial Registration:www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT04055974.

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