Targeting young drinkers online: The effectiveness of a web-based brief alcohol intervention in preventing excessive drinking patterns among adolescents with a low educational background.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Pending

Sex: Not specified

Target Recruitment: 749

Inclusion Criteria

1. Adolescents of secondary schools (VMBO) and institutions for professional education (ROC) aged between 15 and 20 years, either sex;
2. Adolescents report heavy drinking in the past 6 months. Heavy drinking is based on measures of heavy alcohol use and binge drinking and differs according to adolescents’ sex and age. We will differentiate adolescents aged 15-16 years and adolescents aged 17-20 years.
Adolescents aged 15-16 years will be included if they report heavy alcohol use in the past month and/or binge drinking at least once per month in the past 6 months. For this age group, heavy alcohol use is defined as having a mean consumption rate of more than 7 (girls) or 12 (boys) glasses of standard units of alcohol per week in the past month. Binge drinking is defined as drinking 5 or more glasses of standard units of alcohol at one drinking occasion at least once per month.
Adolescents aged 17-20 years will be included if they report heavy alcohol use in the past month and/or binge drinking at least once per week in the past 6 months. For this age group, heavy alcohol use is defined as an alcohol consumption exceeding the Dutch National Health Council for low-risk drinking – a mean consumption rate of more than 14 (females) or 21 (men) glasses of standard units of alcohol per week. Binge drinking is defined as drinking 5 of more glasses of standard units of alcohol on one drinking occasion at least once per week;
3. Adolescents are in the (pre)contemplation stage of change.

Exclusion Criteria

Adolescents who are problem drinkers, drinkers who show symptoms of alcohol abuse or dependence and/or receive treatment for drinking-related problems, will be excluded from participation.

Study & Design

Study Type: Interventional

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The percentage of participants who drink within the normative limits of the Dutch National Health Council for low-risk drinking and thereby not exceeding a mean consumption rate of more than 7 (girls aged 15-16 years), 12 (boys aged 15-16 years), 14 (females aged 17-20 years) or 21 (men aged 17-20 years) glasses of standard units of alcohol per week and/or drink 5 or more glasses of standard units of alcohol on one drinking occasion at least once per month and week for boys and girls aged 15-16 years and men and females aged 17-20 years respectively at 1 month and 6 months after the intervention. In addition, we will assess reductions in mean weekly alcohol consumption and frequency of binge drinking.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Attitudes, self-efficacy, and subjective norms will be assessed as secondary outcome measures. These alcohol-related cognitions will be included at baseline and 1 and 6 months after the intervention.