Social network moderators of brief alcohol intervention impact.

Abstract

Objective: This investigation examined the impact of social networks on drinking reduction efforts following a brief alcohol intervention. In a reanalysis of data from an earlier randomized controlled trial with nonstudent emerging adult drinkers (Lau-Barraco et al., 2018), we aimed to test three domains of preintervention social network features as potential factors influencing intervention response: (a) general network characteristics (i.e., network size, network stability), (b) general network alcohol use (i.e., network alcohol abstainers, network heavy/problem drinkers), and (c) risky peers in network (i.e., proportion of drinking buddies, presence of drinking buddies identified as heavy/problem drinker). Method: Participants were 164 emerging adult heavy drinkers recruited from the community (65.9% men; mean age = 21.98 years; 56.2% ethnic minority). Participants were randomly assigned to either a brief personalized feedback intervention (PFI) or assessment-only control and provided data at 1-month and 3-month followups. Results: Greater network stability and greater representation of alcohol abstainers in one's social network were associated with improved initial postintervention response. Heavy/problem drinkers in the network did not moderate initial postintervention effects on drinking outcomes, but there was potentially a stronger intervention effect on risk reduction for those with higher proportions of drinking buddies in their network. Conclusions: Study findings provided evidence that a PFI was efficacious in mitigating some risky social network influence. However, findings did not support a consistent impact across all the network variables examined. Future research is needed to further clarify social network influences and how they may be targeted to enhance intervention efficacy. Public Health Significance StatementOur findings suggest that a brief alcohol intervention diminished some influence from risky social networks on alcohol consumption among emerging adult heavy drinkers from the community. This study contributed new knowledge regarding the impact of social network ties on behavior change in a vulnerable and understudied group of drinkers that will help guide the development of future interventions.

Brief alcohol interventions for young adults: Strengthening effects, disentangling mechanisms, and scaling up for impact.

“…Lau-Barraco et al (2021) reevaluated data from a prior trial evaluating the efficacy of a tailored BMI for nonstudent young adults to examine potential social network moderators (network size and stability, network composition of alcohol consumers, network makeup of unsafe heavy-drinking friends) of intervention efficacy. Their findings offer important insights for the refinement of BMIs to reduce alcohol consumption in young adults.…”

Back to the basics and fast forward to multiculturalism.

“…Universities, for example, might anticipate and address the transitional risks before matriculation, perhaps by clustered admissions of students within social networks or exposing first year students to their new social networks prior to arrival on campuses. Lau-Barraco et al (2021) also noted that for early adults not in school, stable relationships with family were potentially a source of strength during this period of transition. open the door for stepped-up care with a menu of opportunistic options.…”

“…However, it is also worth remembering that college attendance is not the norm for early adults in the United States. The Lau-Barraco et al’s (2021) study in this special issue is refreshing since it focuses on early adults who are not in school, a group likely to be more diverse than those in the classroom. More research of early adult nonstudents would be welcomed.…”

“…Such linkages may be helpful for improving continuity of care and health outcomes among early adults, especially for those who may be at risk for not maturing out of substance use in early adulthood. In addition, Lau-Barraco et al (2021) in this issue suggest that substance misuse may be exacerbated by disrupted social networks during the posthigh school transition. Interventions designed to diminish the loss of stability during such transitions while simultaneously preparing early adults to cope well when social networks are destabilized may be quite useful.…”