Community-based alcohol counselling: a randomized clinical trial.

Aims: To examine the effectiveness of a brief intervention (BI) and cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for alcohol abuse.

Design: A randomized trial with clients randomized within counsellors.

Setting: Community-based drug and alcohol counselling in Australia.

Participants: Of all new clients attending counselling. 869 (82%) completed a computerized assessment at their first consultation. Four hundred and twenty-one (48%) were defined as eligible, of whom 295 (70%) consented and were allocated randomly to an intervention. Of these, 13 3 (45%) were followed-up at 6 months post-test.

Interventions: BI comprised the elements identified by the acronym FRAMES:feedback, responsibility, advice, menu, empathy, self-efficacy. Face-to-face counselling time was not to exceed 90 minutes. CBT comprised six consecutive weekly sessions: introduction: cravings and urges; managing crises; saying 'no' and solving problems: emergencies and lapses: and maintenance. Total face-to-face counselling time was 270 minutes (six 45-minute sessions).

Measurements: Treatment outcomes are measured in terms of counsellor compliance, client satisfaction, weekly and binge consumption, alcohol-related problems, the AUDIT questionnaire and cost-effectiveness.

Findings: When analysed on an intention-to-treat basis and for those followed-up. treatment outcomes between BI and CBT were not statistically significantly different at pre- or post-test, whether considered as continuous or categorical variables. BI was statistically significantly more cost-effective than CBT and there was no difference between them in clients' reported levels of satisfaction.

Conclusion: For low-dependence alcohol abuse in community settings, BI may be the treatment of choice.