Internet-based interventions for young people with problematic substance use: a systematic review
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review of randomised trials of web-based interventions for problematic substance use by adolescents and young adults. DATA SOURCES: An extensive search conducted in February 2009 of computer databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Current Contents) and manual searches of key references. STUDY SELECTION: Randomised comparisons of fully automated web-based interventions specifically targeting adolescents and young adults (ie, typically school or tertiary students, < or = 25 years old) versus other interventions. DATA SYNTHESIS: 16 relevant studies were identified, and data were extracted from 13 of the 14 reporting on alcohol use by young adults. The alcohol interventions had a small effect overall (d = -0.22) and for specific outcomes (level of alcohol consumption, d = -0.12; binge or heavy drinking frequency, d = -0.35; alcohol-related social problems, d = -0.57). The interventions were not effective (d = -0.001) in preventing subsequent development of alcohol-related problems among people who were non-drinkers at baseline. Due to methodological differences, data from the two studies reporting on tobacco interventions among adolescents were not combined. CONCLUSIONS: Based on findings largely from tertiary students, web interventions targeting alcohol-related problems have an effect about equivalent to brief in-person interventions, but with the advantage that they can be delivered to a far larger proportion of the target population. Web-based interventions to prevent the development of alcohol-related problems in those who do not currently drink appear to have minimal impact. There are currently insufficient data to assess the effectiveness of web-based interventions for tobacco use by adolescents.
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There is insufficient data to assess the effectiveness of Web-based interventions for tobacco use by adolescents.
“Web-based interventions for problematic substance use by adolescents and young adults highlighted insufficient data to assess the effectiveness of Web-based interventions for tobacco use by adolescents [68].”
From Interventions for Adolescent Substance Abuse: An Overview of Systematic Reviews (2016) · cites this paper as [68]
The participants of these studies have heterogeneous alcohol/drug use and gambling habits; ranging from abstinent, recreational and non-problem users, to those presenting a risk or disorder related to alcohol/drug use or gambling.
“In addition, the participants of these studies have heterogeneous alcohol/drug use and gambling habits; ranging from abstinent, recreational and non-problem users, to those presenting a risk or disorder related to alcohol/drug use or gambling (for example, Tait and Christensen, 2010; Tait et al., 2013).”
From Online and Mobile Interventions for Problem Gambling, Alcohol, and Drugs: A Systematic Review (2017) · cites this paper as Tait and Christensen, 2010
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“Web-based interventions for problematic substance use by adolescents and young adults highlighted insufficient data to assess the effectiveness of Web-based interventions for tobacco use by adolescents [68].”
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- Authors
- Tait, R. J., & Christensen, H.
- Affiliations
- Australian National University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Tait, Robert J
- Venue
- Medical Journal of Australia
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2010-06
- Volume
- 192
- Issue
- S11
- Pages
- S15-21
- ISSN
- 0025-729X (ISSN-L)
- 1326-5377
- OpenAlex
- W1482195645
- Cited by
- 115
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 0.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- The Medical Journal of Australia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- eSpace (Curtin University) (submittedVersion)
- ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Australian National University
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Keywords
- online intervention, problematic substance use, adolescents, young adults, alcohol consumption, binge drinking, alcohol-related social problems, tobacco use, tertiary students, alcohol prevention, brief intervention, intervention effectiveness
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Humans, Tobacco Use Disorder, Telemedicine, Alcohol-Related Disorders, Internet, Young Adult
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