Hispanic adolescents experience more severe alcohol-related consequences due to their alcohol abuse and yet significantly fewer Hispanic adolescents receive alcohol treatment, particularly among justice-involved youth. Despite the level of research that has been conducted on motivational interviewing (MI) with mainstream samples, no published studies have investigated the efficacy of this brief, individual intervention with Hispanic adolescents. The overarching objective of this application is to evaluate the efficacy of a brief individual intervention (MI) for problem drinking behaviors with a sample of justice-involved Hispanic and Caucasian adolescents to determine if this intervention is differentially effective between Hispanic and Caucasian adolescents. Specifically, the first aim is to determine whether an MI intervention targeting alcohol abuse is effective at reducing alcohol use and related risk behavior in a sample of adolescent alcohol abusers.
The second aim i s to examine whether the effects of MI on problem drinking outcomes (e.g., alcohol problems, quantity of drinking, frequency of binging) are different between Hispanic versus Caucasian adolescents. Because it is important to determine the mechanisms that mediate the effects of MI and determine whether these mechanisms differ between Caucasian and Hispanic adolescents, the third aim is to examine whether group (Hispanic vs. Caucasian) moderates the meditational linkages in the overall model using a cross-groups approach to moderated mediation (Aiken, Stein, &Bentler, 1994;Bentler, 1995). To accomplish these aims, 453 Caucasian and Hispanic justice-involved alcohol abusing adolescents (ages 14-17) will be randomized to either two 60 minute MI interventions (one at baseline and a second, one week later) or an assessment only control condition (AO). All adolescents will receive behavioral assessments at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. The proposed research is expected to take a significant step towards reducing current racial/ethnic health disparities in alcohol treatment for Hispanic adolescents.

Public Health Relevance

Despite the advances made in developing efficacious brief alcohol abuse interventions for mainstream adolescents, no studies have evaluated the efficacy of brief (2 session) individual alcohol abuse interventions for Hispanic adolescents. In the face of their higher need, but lower likelihood of receiving effective alcohol interventions, this research is designed to evaluate the efficacy of a brief intervention, motivational interviewing (MI), with Hispanic adolescents. This research will also identify potential culturally-specific moderators in problem drinking outcomes following this brief intervention. This research will take a significant step towards reducing current racial/ethnic health disparities and improving alcohol treatment for Hispanic adolescents.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01AA017878-03S1
Application #
8441867
Study Section
Risk, Prevention and Intervention for Addictions Study Section (RPIA)
Program Officer
Godette, Dionne
Project Start
2009-08-25
Project End
2014-07-31
Budget Start
2012-05-01
Budget End
2012-07-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$16,701
Indirect Cost
$6,640
Name
The Mind Research Network
Department
Type
DUNS #
098640696
City
Albuquerque
State
NM
Country
United States
Zip Code
87106
Houck, Jon M; Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W (2018) Working memory capacity and addiction treatment outcomes in adolescents. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 44:185-192
Karoly, Hollis C; Callahan, Tiffany; Schmiege, Sarah J et al. (2016) Evaluating the Hispanic Paradox in the Context of Adolescent Risky Sexual Behavior: The Role of Parent Monitoring. J Pediatr Psychol 41:429-40
Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W; Filbey, Francesca M; Loughran, Thomas A et al. (2015) Which matters most? Demographic, neuropsychological, personality, and situational factors in long-term marijuana and alcohol trajectories for justice-involved male youth. Psychol Addict Behav 29:603-12
Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W; Montanaro, Erika A; Gaume, Jacques et al. (2015) Measurement invariance of alcohol instruments with Hispanic youth. Addict Behav 46:113-120
Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W; Gaume, Jacques; Ernst, Denise B et al. (2015) Do therapist behaviors differ with Hispanic youth? A brief look at within-session therapist behaviors and youth treatment response. Psychol Addict Behav 29:779-86
Montanaro, Erika; Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W; Bryan, Angela D (2015) What Works? An Empirical Perspective on How to Retain Youth in Longitudinal Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Substance Risk Reduction Studies. Subst Abus 36:493-9
Ewing, Sarah W Feldstein; Sakhardande, Ashok; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne (2014) The effect of alcohol consumption on the adolescent brain: A systematic review of MRI and fMRI studies of alcohol-using youth. Neuroimage Clin 5:420-37
Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W; Karoly, Hollis; Hutchison, Kent E (2014) Commentary on Culverhouse et al. (2014): How genomics can bring us towards health equity. Addiction 109:823-4
Ewing, Sarah W Feldstein; Schmiege, Sarah J; Bryan, Angela D (2014) Continued detention involvement and adolescent marijuana use trajectories. J Correct Health Care 20:31-44
Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W; Wray, Alisha M; Mead, Hilary K et al. (2012) Two approaches to tailoring treatment for cultural minority adolescents. J Subst Abuse Treat 43:190-203

Showing the most recent 10 out of 11 publications