Web Intervention for Concerned Partners to Prevent Service Member Alcohol Abuse

U.S. military service members engaged in alcohol misuse are a vulnerable population with high unmet need. Alcohol misuse is a stage of problem drinking that occurs before abuse and dependence, placing service members' partners and families at risk for serious consequences. Unfortunately, existing military reporting policies may discourage service members from seeking help for fear of negative career consequences. Service members report encouragement from their partners as the most prevalent facilitator of seeking care and individuals who change their drinking patterns most often cite partner support as the most helpful mechanism in supporting change. Thus, targeting service members' partners using preventive interventions can be an important vehicle for preventing the progression to abuse and dependence. A 3-year study is proposed to adapt and pilot-test a web-based intervention (WBI) intended to help concerned partners (CPs) provide support to service members with alcohol misuse and to begin development of a service member module based on service member's input. First, an evidence-based intervention known as Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) intervention will be adapted to the web. The specific aims are as follows: Aim 1: Develop a 4-session web-based intervention (WBI) prototype and make iterative revisions based on feedback from 15-20 CPs. Aim 2: Conduct a randomized controlled pilot-test of the finalized WBI (n=50) compared to delayed WBI (n=50), and evaluate the impact of the WBI on CP's reports of service member help-seeking (e.g., counseling, self-help, primary care, treatment) and drinking, and CP well-being and relationship satisfaction three months after the intervention. Aim 3: Begin development of a follow-on WBI module for service members based on service member input and content evaluation. Service members will be asked their intervention preferences and feedback on a proposed WBI for them. This project is significant because it has the potential to benefit a large population of military service members who may be disproportionately affected by the current OEF/OIF/OND conflicts and whose drinking misuse would otherwise go undetected and untreated. It also develops a new prevention model that does not rely on service members or partners attending a hospital or clinical facility to access care. The proposed study is innovative because there are no CP-based preventive interventions addressing misuse. This pilot study will inform the development of an R01 trial that evaluates a larger randomized study of a WBI for CPs with a follow-on intervention for service members.