Resultados preliminares del Programa de Intervención Breve para Adolescentes que Inician el Consumo de Alcohol y otras Drogas / Preliminary study of a brief intervention program for adolescents who initiate alcohol and other drugs consumption

During the last two decades, alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug consumption among young people has come to be regarded as a serious public health problem, both in Mexico and internationally. This recognition has resulted from a trend toward higher levels of use, greater diversification of the types of drugs used and abused, and increased drug marketing. Epidemiological data show that most users initiate drug use when they are about 16 years old. However, the age of first drug experimentation appears to be decreasing, with recent reports indicating an average age 12 or 13 years at present. The societal costs of adolescent drug use cut across different domains including physical and mental health, car crashes, and morbidity and mortality related to substance misuse. The personal costs of teen drug use include school failure, drop-out, and truancy. Moreover, aggressive behavior and crime, risky sexual behaviour, and many other behavioural problems have been shown to be associated with adolescent drug use. Research from many different disciplines has increased knowledge about (a) important dimensions of adolescent substance use and (b) the processes and variables related to the origin and maintenance of addictive behavior among teenagers. Despite this growing body of knowledge, few current prevention and treatment programs are based on empirical investigation. Moreover, many current intervention programs have not been adequately evaluated in regard to effectiveness. A recent development in the addiction field is brief intervention (BI). BIs have been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of addictive behavior among adult problem drinkers, with the most successful programs based on the Theory of the Social Learning. Only recently have BIs been tried with adolescent populations. While promising, little empirical research exists about the effectiveness of brief treatment with adolescents. The primary goals of BIs are to (a) reduce or eliminate substance consumption and (b) to mitigate the adverse effects of using alcohol or other drugs (i.e., harm reduction). While the goals of BIs are clear, the effectiveness of such programs with adolescents, despite their promise, is not well researched. For this reason, it is important to develop and empirically test BI programs for adolescents demonstrating problematic alcohol or other drug consumption. Schools represent a particularly good place to access adolescents who would benefit from BIs, and BIs represent an attractive alternative to the typical strategies used by school to address student substance use (i.e., suspension or expulsion). The main goal of this investigation was to develop and to evaluate a brief intervention program for teenagers with substance abuse (but who have not developed substance dependence) between 14 and 18 years old. The intervention program tries to: (a) promote a change in drug consumption through establishing consumption goals (in the case of the alcohol, moderation or abstinence; in the case of illegal drugs, abstinence); (b) identify high-risk situations in which use is probable; and (c) develop alternative strategies to these situations. The theorical bases of the intervention include Self-control Theory, Motivational Interviewing, Relapse Prevention and <>. Our brief intervention program consisted of six steps: 1. case detection, which involved the identification of adolescents who abuse alcohol or another drugs, by means of teacher's reports, legal and psychology personnel, trained by the investigators; 2. screening, which involved determining whether adolescents met inclusion criteria; 3. assessment, which addressed the frequency and amount of consumption and self-confidence to suitably face situation of probable drug; 4. induction to the program, the objective of which was to sensitize the adolescents about the importance of attending treatment; 5. intervention; and, 6. one, three and six months follow-up assessments. The intervention program consisted of four individual sessions with the participants in which they chose their own substance reduction goals, identified their high risk situations, developed coping plans for each high risk situation, and appraised the impact of their substance use on their own life-goals success. The researchers used a single-case design with 25 participants, 17 of whom had alcohol problems and eight of whom had marijuana problems. The age average of participants was 16 years (SD = 1.8), and 19 were male and six were female. The average age of first consumption was 14 years old (SD = 1.72); the average duration of substance use was 18 months. From the complete sample, 45% reported consumption one or twice per week, 22% reported daily consumption, and the remainder consumed once a month. Results indicated that from the 25 participants, 24 demonstrated changes from the baseline in their consumption pattern (measured by frequency and quantity) during intervention and at follow-up assessments. Self-efficacy levels (self-perceptions about the capability to abstain or use moderately in high risk situations) changed as well. Specifically, among the adolescents who consumed alcohol a one-way ANOVA revealed significant changes in average consumption between the baseline, treatment, and follow-up phases F(2.48) = 17.691, p < .001. Bonferroni's post-hoc tests showed differences between baseline ( = 8.89, SD = 3.55) and treatment ( = 4.46, SD = 3.27), and between baseline and the follow-up ( = 3.29, SD = 1.35). Student's t tests for each subject showed that 16 adolescents significantly reduced their alcohol consumption from the baseline to the follow-up. Only one participant demonstrated increased use (from five standard drinks per drinking occasion at the baseline to 5.90 standard drinks at the follow-up). Regarding consumers of marijuana, a one-way ANOVA showed significant changes in consumption across the baseline, treatment and follow-up phases F(2.21) = 8.219, p = .002. Bonferroni's post-hoc tests showed significant differences between the baseline ( = 18.23, SD = 16.62) treatment phases ( = 1.07, SD = 0.77), and between the baseline and the follow-up phases ( = 1.59, SD = 1.06). An additional one-way ANOVA revealed significant changes in self-efficacy. Specifically, participants demonstrated increased self-efficacy in situations including: Unpleasant emotions, Pleasant emotions, Testing personal control, Conflict with others, Social pressure, and Pleasant time with others (all p < .01), F(2.78) = 24.30, 12.47, 11.34, 11.02, 16.91 and 25.62, respectively. Self-efficacy in regard to Physical discomfort and Urges and temptations to drink also showed significant changes, but at p < .05 F(2.78) = 3.97 and 3.26, respectively. Finally, in order to evaluate the impact of the intervention on problems that participants associated with their alcohol use (or other drugs), seven areas were examined: School, Health, Cognitive, Interpersonal, Family, Legal and Economic. At the end of the treatment, there was a reduction in the number of problems related to these seven areas, compared with the baseline.

En las últimas décadas, el abuso de drogas legales e ilegales en los jóvenes ha sido considerado como un serio problema de salud pública, tanto en el ámbito internacional como en nuestro país. Los estudios epidemiológicos indican que la mayoría de los consumidores experimentan por primera vez con drogas alrededor de los 16 años, pero esta experimentación continúa disminuyendo presentándose en promedio a los 12 o 13 años. Esto representa altos costos para la sociedad y el individuo. Por ejemplo, en áreas de la salud se incrementan los costos de la atención médica, los servicios de salud mental y los tratamientos especializados, además de aumentar la probabilidad de accidentes y muertes relacionadas con el abuso; en el área escolar se presenta el fracaso y/o la deserción escolar, y la expulsión de los estudiantes por parte de las instituciones; y en el área social se pueden presentar conductas agresivas y/o delictivas, contacto sexual de riesgo y otros problemas de conducta relacionados con el consumo de sustancias. De los diferentes programas existentes, resaltan las intervenciones breves en el tratamiento de usuarios que abusan pero que no dependen de las sustancias. Este tipo de intervenciones se basan en la Teoría del Aprendizaje Social y están diseñadas para reducir los patrones de abuso de alcohol u otras drogas. Sin embargo, la aplicación de las intervenciones breves se ha realizado principalmente en adultos, y es hasta últimas fechas que éstas se han adaptado a población adolescente que abusa de las sustancias, sin tenerse todavía resultados concluyentes. Es por esto que es fundamental desarrollar programas de intervención breve como una alternativa para adolescentes que inician el abuso de alcohol u otras drogas. Otro punto que requiere atención es el desarrollo de estrategias para detectar los casos en las escuelas, con la finalidad de ofrecer los servicios de atención en las propias instituciones educativas sin que el adolescente tenga consecuencias como la suspensión o la expulsión. Ante este fenómeno se ha recomendado fortalecer acciones que se basan en la identificación temprana de patrones de consumo que ponen en riesgo al adolescente a diferentes problemas relacionados con el abuso de las drogas. Estos programas se deben caracterizar por ser costo-eficientes, breves y capaces de instrumentarse en una variedad de escenarios, así como de aplicarse a una variedad de culturas. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de esta investigación fue desarrollar y evaluar un programa de intervención breve para adolescentes de entre 14 y 18 años de edad, estudiantes de nivel medio y medio superior, que consumen alcohol en exceso u otras drogas, y que presentan problemas relacionados con este patrón de consumo pero sin cubrir los síntomas físicos de la dependencia. Para realizar la evaluación se utilizó un diseño de caso único con 25 réplicas, 17 casos de consumo de alcohol y 8 casos de consumo de mariguana. De los 25 adolescentes que participaron en el estudio, 24 mostraron una disminución en el patrón de consumo (cantidad y frecuencia de consumo), al comparar las mediciones de los datos recabados en las fases de línea base, tratamiento y seguimiento. Así mismo, se dieron cambios en el nivel de auto-eficacia (percepción de la capacidad de los sujetos para controlar sus situaciones de consumo), es decir, al finalizar el tratamiento los adolescentes se percibieron a sí mismos con mayor capacidad para controlar la cantidad de consumo en situaciones de riesgo. Además, al final del tratamiento los sujetos reportaron una reducción del número de problemas relacionados con su consumo. Esta investigación es uno de los primeros esfuerzos por demostrar el impacto de las intervenciones breves en el patrón de consumo de los adolescentes. Las limitaciones del estudio fueron que no se determinó el efecto específico de cada uno de los componentes del programa ni tampoco se evaluó la presencia de otras conductas problemáticas (comorbilidad). Sin embargo, esta investigación ofrece un apoyo empírico a los programas de intervención breve en población adolescente de nuestro país.

Modelo integral de satisfacción cotidiana en usuarios dependientes de alcohol y otras drogas

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Summary The objective of this study was to evaluate a conceptual model to explain alcohol and drugs abstinence in persons that meet the DSM-IV dependence criteria. This study incorporated and evaluated the conceptual proposal of the Integrated Model of Everyday Satisfaction. The structure of this model is based on the Niaura's Dynamic Regulatory Model and the Social Learning Theory that included the classical conditioning, the operant and the vicar to explain the dependent-consumption and incorporated some of the criticisms to the different cognitive-behavioral models, as the need to measure, by means of a direct observation, the specific type of skills used by the consumption-dependent users when facing everyday situations; as well as identifying changes of the functioning of the variables making up the model at the moment of turning towards abstinence; it also considered the indicators that the variable everyday satisfaction has been poorly studied and not been included in the study of conceptual models. Thus, the proposed conceptual model: Integrated Model of Everyday Satisfaction, included the following variables: consumption, precipitators, self-efficacy, everyday satisfaction, as well as variables measuring the facing of specific situations: communication, problem-solving, refusal of consumption, depression and anxiety. These variables were evaluated in an intentional, non-probabilistic sample with 20 dependent users of addictive substances, before and after the cognitive-behavioral intervention adapted to the Mexican population. This intervention model included the following components: Functional Analysis, Demonstration of Non-Consumption, Daily Life Goals, Communication, Problem Solving, Consumption Refusal, Marriage Guidance, Employment Searches, Recreational and Social Skills, Emotional Self-Control and Prevention of Relapses. The pre-post-test evaluation methods were: Retrospective Baseline, Situational Confidence Scale and/or Drug Consumption Self Confidence Scale, Daily Life Satisfaction Scale, Inventories of Drug Consumption Situations and/or Inventories of Alcohol Consumption Situations, Beck´s Inventories for Depression and Anxiety. Occurrence records were used to assess the video-filmed behavioral assays of consumption refusal, problem-solving and communication. The didactic techniques used in the training were: verbal instruction, modeling, behavioral trials and feedback. In the scaled analysis, the Model showed, at the moment of consumption, solidity accounting for 95% of the variance. At this moment, significantly related to the variables: risk situations, selfefficacy to avoid consumption, everyday satisfaction and anxiety. Dependent consumers, showed bigger diversity and intensity of risk situations previously associated to consumption, reduction of facing skills that caused their insecurity to refuse consumption, increased of their physical symptoms of anxiety and decreased of everyday satisfaction related with their poor functioning in different areas of daily living. The increase of anxiety was an indicator of manifested abstinence syndrome, and confirmed that the used filter criterion, showed sensitivity to attract target population; in turn, anxiety as precipitator confirmed, was sustained by the conditioned withdrawal model. Refusal of consumption, communication and problem-solving at the moment of consumption in the user prior to the training were not significantly associated, indicating the need to acquire and develop these skills in the behavioral repertoire. Eighteen from the twenty dependent users showed in the analysis of interrupted time series, that the amount and frequency of the consumption was significantly changed toward abstinence after their participation in the cognitive-behavioral intervention. The scaled analysis indicates that it was a solid model in terms of abstinence accounting for 96% of the variance. In the final configuration of the Model variables with regard to its proximity to abstinence, identified the proximity between the: decreased of consumption, the more skills for facing risk situations, and refusal of consumption were detected with major proximity; subsequently, more everyday satisfaction and more self-efficacy to avoid consumption; then less anxiety and depression; and eventually, more communication and problem-solving skills. The following variables were significantly associated, during abstinence: the More Everyday Satisfaction from the functioning in daily living, more skills and variety of behavioral alternatives to cope risk situations, more self-efficacy to avoid consumption at coping different risk situations, less anxiety and depression, also more skills to consumption refusal, and decrease of substance consumption. Self-efficacy worked as mediator between behavior and emotion; everyday satisfaction was associated to cognitive variables: self-efficacy and emotional self-control; anxiety and depression. This study detected that it may work as an early advice of relapse, and as antecedent of abstinence. The variables that acted as predictor of abstinence, accounted for 73.2% of the variance and were: coping risk situations with alternative behaviors, getting everyday satisfaction from their performance in activities of different areas of daily living, self-efficacy to resist consumption at risk situations and refusal of consumption in front of persons modeling consumption and invitations and pressure to consume; depression was not significant with the Enter method regression model. The measuring of problem-solving did not include the efficacy of application in everyday life, so that it was not directly associated to consumption. One limitation was not having evaluated the generalization behavior of variables: communication and problem-solving in natural settings; and the lack of physiological measures in order to evaluate the emotional self-control. In another study, it is suggested to assess the variables during follow-up to detect changes in its functioning in this other moment. It may be concluded that the relationship between the diversity of variables inserted in this Model during the organism-environment interaction, is favorable to the abstinence, everyday satisfaction, facing non-consumption, behavior entails, flexibility and integration of a number of cognitive-behavioral skills. The functioning of Everyday Satisfaction as early warning of relapse is an important finding to be considered by the therapist who, when applying the intervention on these users, will have to perform subsequent evaluations of this variable in the process of change in order to anticipate and avoid relapses.

Adaptación de un modelo de intervención cognoscitivo-conductual para usuarios dependientes de alcohol y otras drogas a población mexicana: Un estudio piloto

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Abstract: The chronical abuse of addictive substances is a major public health problem, due to the seriousness of the consequences: fatal automobile accidents or others involving traumatic injury and emergency medical care, chronic physical diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver, cardiovascular complaints, cerebrovascular problems and pancreatitis, as well as disability and disruption in different functional areas of daily life, whether social, psychological, legal, personal, family, economic or professional. These factors include: depression, anxiety, loss of sleep, loss of support networks, suicide, violence, injury in fights, homicide, financial debt, divorce, loss of employment, hospitalization, crime and imprisonment, among others. It is therefore required to establish multidisciplinary intervention models that respond to the seriousness of the problem. In Mexico, reports show that there is a need for the development of more intervention models for chronic users of addictive substances, which include systematic implementation and evaluation as well as medium- and long-term measurements to assess effectiveness. Intervention services often do not go beyond support for the initial detoxification. Additionally, the high cost of most treatment schemes makes them inaccessible to the majority of the people affected by these problems. Intervention models must be designed and developed to include elements from other models that have proven to be reliable and effective on the basis of empirical evidence. The Community Reinforcement Approach or "CRA" intervention model has gained recognition in scientific literature and from international institutions (the National Institute of Drug Addiction, NIDA, and the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIAAA) as one of the most effective means in reducing consumption by chronic users of addictive substances. Consequently, the objective of this research was to use a pilot project to adapt, systemize, implement and assess the impact of the Community Reinforcement Approach intervention model in reducing consumption patterns among chronic dependent users of alcohol and other drugs within the Mexican population. A cognitive-behavioral intervention model was applied to 9 chronic users who had requested psychological help at the Psychological Service Centers of the Faculty of Psychology. The average age of the users was 35. Seven of them were male and two female. The most commonly consumed addictive substance was alcohol by six users, with other drugs accounting for three (benzodiazepine, marihuana, cocaine, solvents and amphetamines). On average, the subjects had spent 14 years in schooling. Five of them were single, one was married, one cohabiting and two divorced. With regard to the occupations of the sample, one was a student, two had abandoned a course of study, four were employed before treatment and two were unemployed. The criteria that the users had to meet for inclusion in the study were: to be aged 18 or over; to be able to read and write; to have a medium-to-severe level of alcohol dependence corresponding to a range between 22 and 47 points on the Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS) and/or a substantial-to-severe level of dependence on other drugs of between 11 and 20 points according to the Drug Abuse Questionnaire (DAQ); to consume a quantity of 14 or more measures of alcohol per occasion and/ or 20 or more measures per week for men, and 10 or more per occasion or 15 or more per week for women; to have been treated or interned on at least one previous occasion; to suffer consumption-related difficulties in different areas of daily life. The duration of the treatment period was from 15 to 24 sessions, depending on the specific training needs of each user. Sessions lasted 1% hours, and were given twice a week. The methodology used was single case with repetitions and follow-up. The cognitive-behavioral model included the following intervention components: Functional Analysis, Demonstration of Non-Consumption, Daily Life Goals, Communication, Problem Solving, Consumption Refusal, Marriage Guidance, Employment Searches, Recreational and Social Skills and Prevention of Relapses. The didactic techniques used in the training for each of the aforementioned components were: verbal instruction, modeling, behavioral trials and feedback. The original model (CRA) was adapted to include the following changes: 1) More communication skills were integrated, including listening, starting conversations, giving and receiving criticism, giving and receiving recognition, and sharing positive and negative feelings; 2) Relapse prediction variables were assessed: self-effectiveness and triggers; 3) New skills for refusing consumption were added: interrupting interaction, justification for non-consumption. Occurrence records were kept for the application in natural settings of the skills taught. In addition, teaching materials were prepared, along with information brochures on different addictive substances and the different training components, lists of community resources and therapist checklists to guarantee the systematic implementation of the model. The pre-post-test evaluation methods were: Retrospective Baseline (RETBAS), Self-Recording, Situational Confidence Scale and/or Drug Consumption Self-Confidence Scale, Daily Life General Satisfaction Scale, Inventories of Drug Consumption Situations and/or Inventories of Alcohol Consumption Situations. The significant changes identified in this preliminary research were: decreases in consumption patterns during and after treatment, since in the pre-post-test statistical analysis for paired samples the results t= 4.75 p = .001 were obtained in the comparison of baseline and treatment, and t= 4.28 p=.002 in the comparison of the baseline and follow-up; increases in the levels of general satisfaction in daily life following treatment and during follow-up, since in the pre-post-test statistical analysis for paired samples the results t=-3.94 and p=.004 were obtained, and t=-4.03 and p=.004 in the pre-follow-up comparison; increases in levels of self-effectiveness after treatment and during follow-up, since in the pre-post-test statistical analysis for paired samples the results t= -5.08 and p=.001 were obtained, and t= 4.37 and p=.002 in the pre-follow-up comparison; decrease in the number of consumption triggers after treatment and during follow-up, since in the pre-post-test statistical analysis for paired samples the results t= 5.80 and p=.000 were obtained, and t= 5.3 and p=.001 in the pre-follow-up comparison. As a result of the foregoing, the researchers were able to verify the effectiveness of this intervention model in significantly reducing consumption patterns in nine chronic dependent users of addictive substances. Similarly, the model had a significant impact on consumption prediction variables, as well as increasing self-effectiveness levels and eliminating triggers to avoid relapses. Users learnt how to create a more satisfying day-to-day lifestyle, by including activities incompatible with consumption. Finally, in repetitions of the implementation of this intervention model, it is recommended that a training component be introduced for emotion management (depression, anxiety and anger), as well as an assessment of cognitive functioning as a relapse prediction variable, and the participation of users that have been part of a social-recreational activity group to reinforce sustained abstinence in the long term.

Una estrategia de diseminación en la psicología: los talleres interactivos / Interactive workshops as a dissemination strategy in psychology

OBJETIVO: Evaluar los talleres interactivos como una estrategia de diseminación de un modelo de intervención psicológica para el tratamiento de los bebedores problema, en profesionales de la salud del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se trabajó con 206 profesionales de la salud de siete clínicas del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, en el periodo 1999-2000. Los sujetos fueron seleccionados por las autoridades de las clínicas. El tipo de estudio utilizado fue cuasi-experimental con un diseño pre-test/pos-test. Inicialmente se aplicó a los participantes el cuestionario de actitudes, intereses y conocimientos, luego se impartieron los talleres interactivos, y al final de éstos nuevamente se aplicó el cuestionario para identificar cambios. El análisis estadístico se realizó a través de una prueba t de student de muestras pareadas. RESULTADOS: Se encontraron diferencias estadísticas significativas en los conocimientos de los participantes sobre alcoholismo t (206, 205), y en los intereses de los mismos t (206, 205)=2.318, p=0.021. CONCLUSIONES: El taller interactivo es una herramienta efectiva para diseminar el programa de Auto-Cambio Dirigido en los escenarios de las clínicas del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, por lo que los profesionales de la salud pueden convertirse en agentes de cambio de las innovaciones psicológicas

Los resultados iniciales de un programa de autocontrol para bebedores problema en México / Initial results of an autocontrol program for problem alcoholics in Mexico

La búsqueda de modelos de tratamiento efectivos para problemas relacionados con el consumo excesivo del alcohol, ha sido preocupación creciente de las autoridades de salud a nivel internacional, ante la evidencia reciente ineficacia de los modelos tradicionales de abordaje a esta problemática. En el presente estudio, se presentan los resultados iniciales de la aplicación de un programa de tratamiento de auto control dirigido de consulta externa a una muestra de 108 bebedores problema en la ciudad de México. Este programa de tratamiento de corte cognoscitivo-conductal, se caracteriza por ser una intervención brevé, en la cual el usuario elige su meta de tratamiento sea ésta, moderación o abstinencia, y donde la responsabilidad para el cambio se centra en el propio bebedor. La comparación entre el patrón de consumo de este grupo de bebedores durante el periodo previo al tratamiento y durante la fase de tratamiento, muestra un incremento en los días en que éstos permanecen abstemios, y una reducción tanto en el número de copas que consumen en días que beben, como en las ocasiones de consumo excesivo. Estos resultados son similares a los que se reportan en otros países, utilizando el mismo de la necesidad de modificar políticas de salud pública que reflejen una concepción contemporánea y científica del fenómeno del alcoholismo, y que impulsen acciones de prevención y tratamiento dirigidas al núcleo de la población muestra la mayor proporción de problemas relacionados con el consumo del alcohol y una mayor probabilidad de responder con éxito al tratamiento: los bebedores problema