Does the structure (tunneled vs. free-roam) and content (if-then plans vs. choosing strategies) of a brief online alcohol intervention effect engagement and effectiveness? A randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Participants who interacted with an online alcohol intervention in a predetermined order viewed more pages than those who could free roam the intervention. Nonetheless, both groups reduced their alcohol consumption at follow-up.
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Other studies have provided evidence that allowing unstructured use of websites may increase engagement with the website, but this may or may not translate into behavior change.
“Other studies have provided evidence that allowing unstructured use of websites may increase engagement with the website; however, this may or may not translate into behavior change [159].”
From Web-Based Interventions to Help Australian Adults Address Depression, Anxiety, Suicidal Ideation, and General Mental Well-being: Scoping Review (2022) · cites this paper as [159]
The Discussion reports the opposite engagement finding: participants in the tunnelled version viewed more pages and spent more time on the website than those in the free-roam version. The paper does support the separate point that greater engagement did not translate into a significant reduction in alcohol consumption. Its Introduction suggests free-roam structures might increase engagement, but presents that as a possibility, not an observed finding. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Skaczkowski, G., van der Kruk, S., Loxton, S., Hughes-Barton, D., Howell, C., Turnbull, D., Jensen, N., Smout, M., & Gunn, K. (2022) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/31018 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Norman, P., Webb, T. L., Millings, A., & Pechey, L.
- Affiliations
- University of Sheffield (GB)
- Haringey Council (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Norman, Paul
- Venue
- Translational Behavioral Medicine
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2019-07-09
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1122-1130
- ISSN
- 1613-9860 (ISSN-L)
- 1869-6716
- OpenAlex
- W2960638210
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 0.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model (vor)
- Locations
- Translational Behavioral Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
- SHURA (Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive) (Sheffield Hallam University) (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Alcohol Research UK (SG 16/17 242)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Keywords
- alcohol consumption, intervention engagement, if-then planning, behaviour change techniques, university students
- MeSH terms
- Internet-Based Intervention, Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Behavior Therapy, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care, Health Behavior, Risk Reduction Behavior, Young Adult
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