Personality-targeted Interventions for Adolescent Alcohol Misuse
Condition: Alcohol Abuse; Drug Abuse; Depression; Panic Disorder; Conduct Disorder
MeSH terms: Alcoholism; Substance-Related Disorders; Depression; Panic Disorder; Conduct Disorder
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 2/Phase 3

Summary: 
      Personality targeted cognitive behavioural interventions have been shown to be effective in
      reducing alcohol and drug misuse in adult substance abusers (Conrod et al., 2000) and
      adolescent drinkers (Conrod et al, in press). As these interventions target personality
      traits linked to risk for addictive and non-addictive mental disorders, the aim of this study
      is to examine the extent to which this approach can prevent and/or reduce alcohol and drug
      misuse as well as have an impact on the onset or severity of emotional and behavioural
      problems in young people.
    

Detailed description: 
      Personality targeted cognitive behavioural interventions have been shown to be effective in
      reducing alcohol and drug misuse in adult substance abusers (Conrod et al., 2000) and
      adolescent drinkers (Conrod et al, in press). As these interventions target personality
      traits linked to risk for addictive and non-addictive psychopathology, the aim of this study
      is to examine the extent to which this approach is effective in preventing and/or reduce
      alcohol and drug misuse and concurrent psychiatric symptoms in young people.

      Method: 875 Participants aged 13-16 years will be screened for personality risk in
      school-wide self-report assessments. Participants will be randomly assigned to a personality
      matched cognitive-behavioural intervention or a no-intervention control. The personality
      matched interventions will target four personality risk factors: negative thinking (NT),
      anxiety sensitivity (AS), impulsivity (IMP) and sensation seeking (SS). Outcome evaluation
      will occur 6, 12, 18 and 24 months post intervention. Primary outcomes will be time to onset
      and severity of alcohol and illicit substance use and misuse. Secondary outcome variables
      will include depressive symptoms, panic attack rates, reckless and antisocial behaviour.
      Secondary analyses involving genetic, cognitive and coping skills measures will examine
      moderators of treatment effects.

      Hypotheses: It is expected that personality-targeted interventions will have
      personality-specific effects on aspects of addictive and non-addictive psychopathology to
      which each personality risk group is most susceptible.
    

Intervention name(s): PRE-Venture: Personality Risk Education
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Motivational and Cognitive-Behavioural interventions targeting four personality risk factors for substance misuse. Two, 90-minute group sessions conducted at school with personality-matched peers and trained psychologists/councellors and co-facilitators.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Factorial Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Prevention; Addiction; Personality; Adolescents; Binge Drinking; Alcohol Abuse; Comorbidity; Depression; Anxiety; Antisocial Behaviour