Internet-Based Brief Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Consumption in College Students: An Exploratory Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Hazardous alcohol consumption among university students is a public health issue, which theoretically supported internet-based interventions have proven effective in addressing. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an internet-based brief intervention, registered at clinicaltria...

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Published in:Salud Mental Vol. 49; no. 3; pp. 113 - 125
Main Authors: Romero Reyes, Daniela, Moriano León, Juan Antonio, Ybarra Sagarduy, José Luis
Format: Article
Published: Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria Ramon de la Fuente May/Jun2026
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Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: May/Jun2026
      vid: 49
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        atl: Internet-Based Brief Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Consumption in College Students: An Exploratory Randomized Clinical Trial.
      aug:
        au:
          Romero Reyes, Daniela
          Moriano León, Juan Antonio
          Ybarra Sagarduy, José Luis
        affil:
          Unidad Académica de Trabajo Social y Ciencias para el Desarrollo Humano, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Cd. Victoria, Tamaulipas, México
          Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, España
      su:
        Alcohol drinking
        Planned behavior theory
        Psychotherapy
        Behavior modification
        Self-efficacy
        Clinical trials
        Alcoholism
        College students
      sug:
        subj:
          Alcohol drinking
          Planned behavior theory
          Psychotherapy
          Behavior modification
          Self-efficacy
          Clinical trials
          Alcoholism
          College students
      keyword:
        alcohol consumption
        internet-based brief intervention
        Theory of Planned Behavior
        University students
        consumo de alcohol
        Estudiantes universitarios
        intervención breve basada en internet
        Teoría del Comportamiento Planificado
      ab:
        Introduction: Hazardous alcohol consumption among university students is a public health issue, which theoretically supported internet-based interventions have proven effective in addressing. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an internet-based brief intervention, registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05533554. The intervention was designed using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), based on the hypothesis that alcohol consumption intention and drinking behavior will be lower in the experimental group compared to the control group. Method: An experimental design was employed, including an experimental group (n = 38) and a control group on a waiting list (n = 38), with pre- and post-intervention evaluations conducted a month apart. The control group consisted of 36 participants at the time of receiving the intervention. Results: The intervention reduced the number of drinks per occasion in the experimental group. Monthly consumption, number of drinks per occasion, and days of consumption decreased in the at-risk subgroup. The descriptive norm in the experimental group decreased, suggesting that addressing social norms may be related to behavioral changes. The intervention in the control group increased self-efficacy in coping with potential alcohol abuse situations. Discussion and conclusion: The internet-based brief intervention was effective in reducing alcohol consumption in the experimental group, particularly the at-risk subgroup. The control group's self-efficacy in dealing with alcohol abuse also increased following the intervention. Further experimental studies are recommended to confirm its effectiveness.
        Introducción: El consumo de alcohol de riesgo entre estudiantes universitarios es un problema de salud pública. Las intervenciones basadas en internet, con respaldo teórico, han demostrado ser eficaces para abordar este problema. Objetivo: Evaluar la eficacia de una intervención breve basada en internet, registrada en clinicaltrials.gov como NCT05533554, diseñada según la Teoría del Comportamiento Planificado (TCP), con base en la hipótesis de que la intención de consumo de alcohol y la conducta de consumo serán menores en el grupo experimental en comparación con el grupo control. Método: Se empleó un diseño experimental, incluyendo un grupo experimental (n = 38) y un grupo control en lista de espera (n = 38), con evaluaciones previas y posteriores a la intervención realizadas con un mes de diferencia. El grupo control estaba compuesto por 36 participantes al momento de recibir la intervención. Resultados: La intervención redujo el número de bebidas por ocasión en el grupo experimental. El consumo mensual, el número de bebidas por ocasión y los días de consumo disminuyeron en el subgrupo de riesgo. La norma descriptiva en el grupo experimental disminuyó, lo que sugiere que abordar las normas sociales podría estar relacionado con cambios de comportamiento. La intervención en el grupo control aumentó la autoeficacia para afrontar posibles situaciones de abuso de alcohol. Discusión y conclusión: La intervención breve por internet fue eficaz para reducir el consumo de alcohol en el grupo experimental, especialmente en el subgrupo de riesgo. La autoeficacia del grupo control para afrontar el abuso de alcohol también aumentó tras la intervención. Se recomiendan estudios experimentales adicionales para confirmar su efectividad.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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          year: 2026
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