A review of computer-based alcohol problem services designedfor the general public
Open accessAbstract
This review summarizes the literature on computer-based drinking assessment and intervention programs evaluated using members of the general public. The primary aim was to summarize the demand, usage, and effectiveness of these services. A systematic search of the literature identified seven online drinking assessments and eight computerized interventions that were evaluated using members of the general public. Internet assessment users tend to be in their early 30s, are more often male, tend to be at risk for or are experiencing alcohol-related problems, more fully explore assessment sites, and are more likely to enroll in interventions linked to these sites when their drinking problem is more severe. Although dropout from computer-based interventions is often very high and treatment models vary widely, program completers appear to show improvements.
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Web-based interventions have demonstrated efficacy for depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and substance abuse, and insomnia.
“The efficacy of web-based intervention has been demonstrated by a large number of trials for a number of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and substance abuse, and insomnia (14–18).”
From Behavioral Intervention Technologies: Evidence review and recommendations for future research in mental health (2013) · cites this paper as [14]
Attrition and non-adherence in standalone web-based interventions range widely, from over 95% for standalone depression sites, modest for many anxiety sites, to minimal for insomnia, depending on disorder and sampling/screening.
“Attrition and non-adherence can also range widely, from extremely high (>95% for standalone depression sites), modest (many anxiety sites), to minimal (insomnia), depending on the disorder and how participants were sampled or screened.”
From Behavioral Intervention Technologies: Evidence review and recommendations for future research in mental health (2013) · cites this paper as [14]
Standalone web-based interventions produce a wide range of outcomes: small or nonsignificant for many depression and substance abuse sites, moderate for some anxiety disorders, and fairly large for insomnia.
“Standalone interventions have produced a wide range of outcomes, from small or nonsignificant (e.g. many depression sites, substance abuse) to moderate (some anxiety disorders) to fairly large (insomnia) (14, 15, 18, 25).”
From Behavioral Intervention Technologies: Evidence review and recommendations for future research in mental health (2013) · cites this paper as [14]
Outcomes of web-based interventions vary widely, from virtually no effect to effect sizes similar to face-to-face interventions.
“However, within this growing number of studies, the range of outcomes can vary from virtually no effect to effect sizes that are similar to face-to-face interventions.”
From Behavioral Intervention Technologies: Evidence review and recommendations for future research in mental health (2013) · cites this paper as [14]
A recent review by Vernon and colleagues pinpointed reasons why users find the interventions attractive: timely, anonymous, accessible 24/7, and mostly free of charge.
“A recent review by Vernon and colleagues [20] has pinpointed similar reasons why users themselves find the interventions attractive, that is, they are timely, anonymous, accessible 24/7, and mostly free of charge.”
From Effectiveness of E-self-help interventions for curbing adult problem drinking: a meta-analysis (2011) · cites this paper as [20]
Most participants in e-self-help interventions for problem drinking are first-time help-seekers.
“As most participants in e-self-help interventions for problem drinking are first-time help-seekers [20,21]”
From Effectiveness of E-self-help interventions for curbing adult problem drinking: a meta-analysis (2011) · cites this paper as [20]
Studies that rigorously assess the economic promise of no-contact e-self-help interventions are not yet available.
“Studies that rigorously assess this proposition are not yet available [20]”
From Effectiveness of E-self-help interventions for curbing adult problem drinking: a meta-analysis (2011) · cites this paper as [20]
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- Authors
- Vernon, M. L.
- Affiliations
- Alcohol Research Group (US)
- Corresponding author
- Vernon, Michael L.
- ORCID
- Vernon, Michael L.
- Venue
- Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-04
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 203-211
- ISSN
- 0740-5472 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2835799
- OpenAlex
- W2160407362
- Cited by
- 76
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 0.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (T32AA007240)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Keywords
- internet-delivered treatment, alcohol-related problems, general population, intervention dropout, program effectiveness, service demand
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Alcoholism, Female, Humans, Male, Therapy, Computer-Assisted, Utilization Review, Treatment Outcome, Internet
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