Military members are more likely than civilians to drink and have drinking related problems, though they may be reluctant to seek help. This study tested the “Warrior Check Up”, a brief alcohol treatment that was delivered entirely by telephone.
Military members are more likely than civilians to drink and have drinking related problems, though they may be reluctant to seek help. This study tested the “Warrior Check Up”, a brief alcohol treatment that was delivered entirely by telephone.
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Alcohol problems are common among military members – 20% are heavy drinkers (five or more drinks in a sitting at least weekly), a rate greater than their civilian counterparts. One third are likely to have a drinking problem based on the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT), a figure also higher than civilians. Overall, substance use disorder is the number one cause of lost work time in the military. At the same time only a small proportion of military members are referred for treatment.
Members might fear that needing alcohol treatment is inconsistent with the military value of self-discipline, & that perception could affect their standing and ability to progress professionally.
Developing effective treatments that can also address this potential barrier are critical. This study attempted to overcome this barrier by developing and testing a brief telephone-based intervention for military members with alcohol use disorder.
Study participants were active duty army members with either alcohol or another drug use disorder (with DSM-IV diagnosis) at a base in the western United States. They were randomized to receive either a motivational interviewing plus feedback session (motivational interviewing (MI); N = 120) or a psychoeducational information session about the effects and consequences of alcohol and other drugs (Control; N = 122).
Individuals in the motivational interviewing (MI) group received feedback about their drinking compared to other soldiers as well as civilians (non-soldiers) before the session. During the telephone session, they discussed this feedback, as well as costs and benefits of drinking and drug use, and how this substance use affects their goals and personal values. Both MI and Control phone sessions were delivered by trained, masters-level clinicians and lasted 60 minutes.
Main Study Outcomes:
(Measured at baseline, 3 & 6 month follow ups)
Overall, study participants were virtually all male (92%), and mostly Caucasian (60%) and married (57%); they were 28 years old on average. Regarding their substance use histories, 83% met criteria for DSM-IV alcohol dependence, and 13% for alcohol abuse; 5% had another drug use disorder (a very small number had both alcohol and another drug use disorder). On average, participants had consumed 31 drinks over 4 days each week, including two heavy drinking episodes each week, during the month before beginning the study (about 8 drinks per drinking day).
No difference between the groups in:
Differences between the two groups in:
While research in other military settings are needed, psychoeducation could be just as helpful, while requiring fewer resources to deliver, as the more technical motivational interviewing (MI) – at least for a single session delivered by telephone. the study was innovative in its focus on alcohol treatment in a setting where seeking help may be stigmatized, as it is in the military. This type of approach could be applicable in any setting where individuals are worried about the perceptions of seeking help for an alcohol and other drug problems, such as in health care settings, for the staff themselves.
One other relevant piece in the findings is the low rates of drug use disorder apart from alcohol in the sample. This is consistent with military members on the whole where, unlike alcohol, they tend to have lower rates of other drug use and resulting problems. Experts suggest this may be due to consistent, ongoing drug testing in the military, and in a related sense, a broader military culture where illicit drug use is discouraged.
The one observed difference between the groups – from 32 to 14 weekly drinks in the motivational interviewing (MI) group versus 29 to 17 drinks in the control group – may not be associated with any real-world difference, given similar levels of consequences over time.
Next steps may be to develop and test other strategies to engage military personnel in alcohol and other drug treatment. Technology-based approaches, like mobile text message interventions, are being developed and tested in non-military at-risk populations with promising results. With more options at their disposal, the military will likely attract and engage more people that need help.
Walker, D. D., Walton, T. O., Neighbors, C., Kaysen, D., Mbilinyi, L., Darnell, J., … & Roffman, R. A. (2016). Randomized Trial of Motivational Interviewing Plus Feedback for Soldiers With Untreated Alcohol Abuse.
l
Alcohol problems are common among military members – 20% are heavy drinkers (five or more drinks in a sitting at least weekly), a rate greater than their civilian counterparts. One third are likely to have a drinking problem based on the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT), a figure also higher than civilians. Overall, substance use disorder is the number one cause of lost work time in the military. At the same time only a small proportion of military members are referred for treatment.
Members might fear that needing alcohol treatment is inconsistent with the military value of self-discipline, & that perception could affect their standing and ability to progress professionally.
Developing effective treatments that can also address this potential barrier are critical. This study attempted to overcome this barrier by developing and testing a brief telephone-based intervention for military members with alcohol use disorder.
Study participants were active duty army members with either alcohol or another drug use disorder (with DSM-IV diagnosis) at a base in the western United States. They were randomized to receive either a motivational interviewing plus feedback session (motivational interviewing (MI); N = 120) or a psychoeducational information session about the effects and consequences of alcohol and other drugs (Control; N = 122).
Individuals in the motivational interviewing (MI) group received feedback about their drinking compared to other soldiers as well as civilians (non-soldiers) before the session. During the telephone session, they discussed this feedback, as well as costs and benefits of drinking and drug use, and how this substance use affects their goals and personal values. Both MI and Control phone sessions were delivered by trained, masters-level clinicians and lasted 60 minutes.
Main Study Outcomes:
(Measured at baseline, 3 & 6 month follow ups)
Overall, study participants were virtually all male (92%), and mostly Caucasian (60%) and married (57%); they were 28 years old on average. Regarding their substance use histories, 83% met criteria for DSM-IV alcohol dependence, and 13% for alcohol abuse; 5% had another drug use disorder (a very small number had both alcohol and another drug use disorder). On average, participants had consumed 31 drinks over 4 days each week, including two heavy drinking episodes each week, during the month before beginning the study (about 8 drinks per drinking day).
No difference between the groups in:
Differences between the two groups in:
While research in other military settings are needed, psychoeducation could be just as helpful, while requiring fewer resources to deliver, as the more technical motivational interviewing (MI) – at least for a single session delivered by telephone. the study was innovative in its focus on alcohol treatment in a setting where seeking help may be stigmatized, as it is in the military. This type of approach could be applicable in any setting where individuals are worried about the perceptions of seeking help for an alcohol and other drug problems, such as in health care settings, for the staff themselves.
One other relevant piece in the findings is the low rates of drug use disorder apart from alcohol in the sample. This is consistent with military members on the whole where, unlike alcohol, they tend to have lower rates of other drug use and resulting problems. Experts suggest this may be due to consistent, ongoing drug testing in the military, and in a related sense, a broader military culture where illicit drug use is discouraged.
The one observed difference between the groups – from 32 to 14 weekly drinks in the motivational interviewing (MI) group versus 29 to 17 drinks in the control group – may not be associated with any real-world difference, given similar levels of consequences over time.
Next steps may be to develop and test other strategies to engage military personnel in alcohol and other drug treatment. Technology-based approaches, like mobile text message interventions, are being developed and tested in non-military at-risk populations with promising results. With more options at their disposal, the military will likely attract and engage more people that need help.
Walker, D. D., Walton, T. O., Neighbors, C., Kaysen, D., Mbilinyi, L., Darnell, J., … & Roffman, R. A. (2016). Randomized Trial of Motivational Interviewing Plus Feedback for Soldiers With Untreated Alcohol Abuse.
l
Alcohol problems are common among military members – 20% are heavy drinkers (five or more drinks in a sitting at least weekly), a rate greater than their civilian counterparts. One third are likely to have a drinking problem based on the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT), a figure also higher than civilians. Overall, substance use disorder is the number one cause of lost work time in the military. At the same time only a small proportion of military members are referred for treatment.
Members might fear that needing alcohol treatment is inconsistent with the military value of self-discipline, & that perception could affect their standing and ability to progress professionally.
Developing effective treatments that can also address this potential barrier are critical. This study attempted to overcome this barrier by developing and testing a brief telephone-based intervention for military members with alcohol use disorder.
Study participants were active duty army members with either alcohol or another drug use disorder (with DSM-IV diagnosis) at a base in the western United States. They were randomized to receive either a motivational interviewing plus feedback session (motivational interviewing (MI); N = 120) or a psychoeducational information session about the effects and consequences of alcohol and other drugs (Control; N = 122).
Individuals in the motivational interviewing (MI) group received feedback about their drinking compared to other soldiers as well as civilians (non-soldiers) before the session. During the telephone session, they discussed this feedback, as well as costs and benefits of drinking and drug use, and how this substance use affects their goals and personal values. Both MI and Control phone sessions were delivered by trained, masters-level clinicians and lasted 60 minutes.
Main Study Outcomes:
(Measured at baseline, 3 & 6 month follow ups)
Overall, study participants were virtually all male (92%), and mostly Caucasian (60%) and married (57%); they were 28 years old on average. Regarding their substance use histories, 83% met criteria for DSM-IV alcohol dependence, and 13% for alcohol abuse; 5% had another drug use disorder (a very small number had both alcohol and another drug use disorder). On average, participants had consumed 31 drinks over 4 days each week, including two heavy drinking episodes each week, during the month before beginning the study (about 8 drinks per drinking day).
No difference between the groups in:
Differences between the two groups in:
While research in other military settings are needed, psychoeducation could be just as helpful, while requiring fewer resources to deliver, as the more technical motivational interviewing (MI) – at least for a single session delivered by telephone. the study was innovative in its focus on alcohol treatment in a setting where seeking help may be stigmatized, as it is in the military. This type of approach could be applicable in any setting where individuals are worried about the perceptions of seeking help for an alcohol and other drug problems, such as in health care settings, for the staff themselves.
One other relevant piece in the findings is the low rates of drug use disorder apart from alcohol in the sample. This is consistent with military members on the whole where, unlike alcohol, they tend to have lower rates of other drug use and resulting problems. Experts suggest this may be due to consistent, ongoing drug testing in the military, and in a related sense, a broader military culture where illicit drug use is discouraged.
The one observed difference between the groups – from 32 to 14 weekly drinks in the motivational interviewing (MI) group versus 29 to 17 drinks in the control group – may not be associated with any real-world difference, given similar levels of consequences over time.
Next steps may be to develop and test other strategies to engage military personnel in alcohol and other drug treatment. Technology-based approaches, like mobile text message interventions, are being developed and tested in non-military at-risk populations with promising results. With more options at their disposal, the military will likely attract and engage more people that need help.
Walker, D. D., Walton, T. O., Neighbors, C., Kaysen, D., Mbilinyi, L., Darnell, J., … & Roffman, R. A. (2016). Randomized Trial of Motivational Interviewing Plus Feedback for Soldiers With Untreated Alcohol Abuse.
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