Brief Intervention

Brief interventions are generally delivered over one to three sessions and include an abbreviated assessment of drinking severity and related problems as well as the provision of motivational feedback and advice. Typically studied in general medical or school-based settings and in non-treatment-seeking heavy drinkers, brief therapies have been shown to be effective in reducing alcohol use and improving general health and social functioning (79, 275, 1109). In these sub-groups of patients, the efficacy of brief therapies is often comparable with that of longer, more intense treatment; even very brief interventions (i.e., a few hours) may have some positive effect(1110, 1111).
5. Self-help groups and 12-step-oriented treatments
The effectiveness of AA, per se, has not been evaluated in randomized studies. However, other sources of information provide growing support for the utility of AA and 12-step-oriented treatments (259, 261, 956, 958, 959) as well as the efficacy of professional therapies such as TSF that are aimed at motivating patients to participate in AA (43, 219, 265, 267, 269). In addition, a large number of studies have documented …show more content…
More specifically, “AA is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking” (253). Al-Anon (friends and family), Alateen (teenage children of alcoholic individuals), and Adult Children of Alcoholics (those who grew up in alcoholic or otherwise dysfunctional homes) help family members and friends of alcoholic individuals focus on the need to avoid enabling behaviors and care for oneself whether a loved one is drinking or