Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Aug 4.
Published in final edited form as: Ann Intern Med. 2015 Aug 4;163(3):205–214. doi: 10.7326/M15-0285

Table 3.

Characteristics of E-Interventions*

Characteristic Adult Trials (n = 14) Student Trials (n = 14)
Level of support

 1 7 11

 2 4 3

 3 3 0

Number of sessions
 1 7 12

 >1 6 2

 NR 1 0
Session duration

 Median (range), min 10 (3–90) 25 (2–50)

 NR 7 5

 NA§ 2 0

Intervention
 IVR 2 0

 Not named 3 5

 e-CHUG 0 2

 BASICS 0 3

 What Do You Drink 0 2

 Programs used only once 9 2

Delivery mode
 Accessed on the Internet 9 12

 Software on laptop or desktop 1 2

 Mobile device 1 0

 IVR 2 0

 NR 1 0
Delivery location

 Off-site** 5 6

 On-site†† 3 4

 NR 6 4

Content of e-intervention
 Brief intervention 10 8

 PNF‡‡ GS: 6
Non-GS: 1
NR: 1
GS: 10
Non-GS: 2

 Psychoeducation 9 7

  Alcohol-specific, n/N 4/9 4/7

 Goal setting 7 3

 Negative consequences 5 6

 Skills training 3 2

 Self-monitoring 4 0

 Tailored feedback 3 4

 Relapse prevention 2 0

 Other techniques§§ 10 3
Comparator

 WL‖‖ 5 8

 Attention/information control 6 5

 Treatment as usual 3 1

Risk of bias
 Low 3 5

 Moderate 7 8

 High 4 1

BASICS = Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students; e-CHUG = Electronic Check-up to Go; e-intervention = electronic intervention; GS = gender-specific; IVR = interactive voice response; NA = not applicable; NR = not reported; PNF = personalized normative feedback; WL = wait list.

*

Values are numbers unless otherwise indicated.

2 daily IVR.

2–5 sessions.

§

IVR.

In adult trials: Balance; feedback, responsibility, advice, menu of options, empathy, and self-efficacy; eScreen.se; www.drinktest.nl; Down Your Drink; Check Your Drinking; minderdrinken.nl; Addiction-Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System; and Everything With Limits. In student trials: Tertiary Health Research Intervention Via Email and College Drinker’s Check-up.

Smartphone.

**

For example, home or IVR.

††

For example, clinic or classroom.

‡‡

For adults, the comparison group was usually a national population (n = 3) or age-matched adults (n = 3); for students, the comparison group was usually student peers (n = 7).

§§

Used once. For adults: cognitive behavioral therapy, computer monitoring, e-mail, global positioning system, homework, taking responsibility, text messaging, and values clarification. For students: homework and decisional balance exercise.

‖‖

Includes true WL, assessment only, and no treatment.