Brief integrative multiple behavior intervention effects and mediators for adolescents

• Published in: Journal of behavioral medicine 2011-02, Vol.34 (1), p.3-12
• Main Authors: Werch, Chudley E., Bian, Hui, Carlson, Joan M., Moore, Michele J., DiClemente, Carlo C., Huang, I-Chan, Ames, Steven C., Thombs, Dennis, Weiler, Robert M., Pokorny, Steven B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Alcohol consumption; Alcohol Drinking - prevention & control; Behavior; Behavior Therapy; Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Brief interventions; Cannabis; Cigarettes; Family Medicine; Feeding Behavior; Female; Florida; Fruit; General Practice; Health Behavior; Health Promotion - methods; Health Psychology; Healthy food; High schools; Humans; Intervention; Logistic Models; Male; Marijuana; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapy, Brief; Relaxation; Risk Factors; Sleep; Social aspects; Students; Teenagers; Treatments; Vegetables; Youth
• ISSN: 0160-7715; 1573-3521; 1573-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s10865-010-9281-9

This study evaluated the efficacy of a brief integrative multiple behavior intervention and assessed risk factors as mediators of behavioral outcomes among older adolescents. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with participants randomly assigned to either a brief intervention or standard care control with 3-month follow-up. A total of 479 students attending two public high schools participated. Participants receiving the intervention showed a significant reduction in quantity × frequency of alcohol use, and increases in fruit and vegetable consumption and frequency of relaxation activities, compared to those receiving the control, P ’s = .01. No effects were found on cigarette and marijuana use, exercise and sleep. Effect sizes were small with alcohol use cessation effects reaching medium size. Intervention effects were mediated by changes in peer influenceability for alcohol use, and self-efficacy and self-image for health promoting behaviors. Findings suggest that the brief intervention resulted in health risk and promoting behavior improvements for adolescents, with outcomes mediated by several risk factors.