ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to examine the association between frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption and cognitive functioning following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Sixty moderately to severely injured individuals had completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to measure preinjury alcohol use soon after injury and were recruited and assessed with AUDIT and Time Line Follow-Back (TLFB), as a measure of frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption at 6-9 months post injury. Fifty participants completed both AUDIT and TLFB at a follow-up assessment at 12-15 months post injury. Measures of processing speed/attention, memory, and executive function were also administered. Regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between alcohol use and cognition at the two occasions of measurement. Harmful or hazardous alcohol use pre injury was associated with poorer memory performance on the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II) and slower processing speed on Symbol Digit Modalities Test on average across postinjury measurement occasions, but not with executive functioning, measured by the Modified Six Elements Test (MSET) at 6-9 months post injury. On the other hand, executive functioning on MSET 6-9 months post injury was significantly poorer in participants who were consuming any alcohol at all in the month prior to follow-up assessment. The current study provides evidence showing that pre- and postinjury alcohol use is negatively associated with different aspects of cognitive functioning following TBI. In addition to providing some support for the provision of advice to abstain from alcohol after injury, these findings suggest that interventions to reduce postinjury alcohol use may be useful.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Alcoholic Intoxication/psychology , Brain Injuries/psychology , Central Nervous System Depressants/adverse effects , Cognition/physiology , Ethanol/adverse effects , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aging/psychology , Alcoholism/psychology , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Executive Function/physiology , Female , Humans , Intelligence , Male , Memory/physiology , Middle Aged , Neuropsychological Tests , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Psychomotor Performance/physiology , Reading , Treatment Outcome , Verbal Learning/physiology , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relative effectiveness of brief interventions comprising an information booklet with and without a brief motivational interview and an informal discussion in reducing alcohol use following traumatic brain injury. PARTICIPANTS: Sample of 60 participants with traumatic brain injury (mean age = 35 years) with preinjury history of alcohol use. RESEARCH DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial, using block randomization, stratified for gender. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Following collection of demographic information and alcohol consumption data using the Time Line Follow-Back, participants were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 groups (informal discussion, information only, or motivational interview) and given appropriate treatment. Follow-up assessments were completed by an independent researcher 6 months later. RESULTS: Nonparametric significance testing was used to compare differences in frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption at preintervention (6-9 months postinjury) and follow-up (12-15 months postinjury) sessions. There was a positive trend showing participants in both the intervention groups to be drinking less frequently and consuming fewer alcoholic drinks than those in the informal discussion (control) group. However, group differences did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Further randomized controlled trials with larger samples are needed to establish whether brief educational and motivational interview interventions targeting alcohol use are efficacious in the traumatic brain injury population.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/prevention & control , Alcoholic Intoxication/rehabilitation , Brain Injuries/etiology , Motivational Interviewing , Adult , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Alcoholic Intoxication/complications , Humans , Patient Education as TopicABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate variables associated with the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption following a brief alcohol intervention in individuals with traumatic brain injury. PARTICIPANTS: Initial sample of 60 participants with traumatic brain injury (mean age = 35 years) with preinjury history of alcohol use; of whom, 50 were evaluated at follow-up. RESEARCH DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial, stratified for gender, which used a random-effects regression model to examine the association of predictor variables with the frequency and quantity of alcohol use 6 months following a brief alcohol intervention. MAIN MEASURES: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; Time Line Follow Back; California Verbal Learning Test-II; Modified Six Elements Test; Readiness to Change Questionnaire; and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. INTERVENTIONS: Participants received one of the following treatments: informal discussion; discussion plus information; and brief motivational interview plus information. RESULTS: While both intervention groups showed less drinking, the intervention group membership effect was not significant. Being in the action stage of readiness to change was associated with lower drinking frequency and quantity. Higher education and higher levels of depression were associated with increased drinking. Memory and executive function, and heavy preinjury alcohol use, were not significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support a focus on readiness to change behavior and treatment of depression in addressing alcohol use issues following traumatic brain injury. Treatment efficacy studies in larger samples are needed.
