A feasibility trial of alcohol screening and brief interventions for risky drinking in young people in a high school setting in the UK: SIPS jr-high

Background: While the overall proportion of young people (YP) drinking alcohol in the UK has been

shown to have decreased in recent years, YP who drink appear to drink more frequently and at a larger

amount. This pilot feasibility trial aimed to explore the feasibility of delivering brief alcohol intervention

using MI principles in a school setting.

Methods and Design: Seven schools across one small geographical area in North East England

were recruited. Participants were UK Year 10 pupils (aged 14-15) who screened positive for alcohol

misuse using an alcohol screening questionnaire and who consented to take part in the trial. Trial

participants will be followed up at 12 months (feb 2013). Each school was randomly allocated to one

of three intervention conditions: provision of an advice leaflet (control condition); a 30-minute session

of structured advice using MI principles L1 (level 1 condition) and the level 1 condition followed by a

60-minute session usingMI principles involving family members L2 (level 2 condition).

Results: 87% (1280) YP completed the screening questionnaire. Of these 60% were negative

(772). A further 21%were positive but the YP did not leave their name. 229 were invited to take part

in the trial (control 60; L1 79; L2 90). 181 consented and took part in the trial [79%](control 53; L1 53;

L2 75). All those in the L1 condition received the intervention. For the 75 in the L2 condition all

received the L1 intervention and 25 (33%) agreed to their parents being contacted. Parent meetings

were held with 8 families (32%). Qualitative work showed that the intervention was acceptable in the

school environment and that alcohol use by YP was not always viewed as a problem by the YP

themselves, their parents or staff.

Discussion: Results from this feasibility trial will inform the development of a definitive RCT to evaluate

the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of screening and brief alcohol intervention to reduce

hazardous drinking in adolescents in a school setting. However results fromthis study indicate that

parental involvement in the school setting may not be feasible.

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research (NIHR

PHR) programme (project number 10/3002/07). The views and opinions expressed therein are those

of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the PHR programme, NIHR, NHS or the

Department of Health.