Young-adult American veterans are at risk for problematic alcohol use. However, they are unlikely to seek care and may drop out from lengthy, multicomponent treatments when they do get care. This randomized controlled trial tested a very brief alcohol intervention delivered over the Internet to reach the population of young-adult veterans to help reduce their drinking.,Veterans (N = 784) were recruited from Facebook and randomized to either a control condition or a personalized normative feedback (PNF) intervention seeking to correct drinking perceptions of gender-specific veteran peers.,At immediate postintervention, PNF participants reported greater reductions in their perceptions of peer drinking and intentions to drink over the next month, compared with control participants. At 1-month follow-up, PNF participants reduced their drinking behavior and related consequences to a significantly greater extent than controls. Specifically, PNF participants drank 3.4 fewer drinks per week, consumed 0.4 fewer drinks per occasion, binge drank on 1.0 fewer days, and experienced about 1.0 fewer consequences than control participants in the month after the intervention. Intervention effects for drinks per occasion were most pronounced among more problematic drinkers. Changes in perceived norms from baseline to 1-month follow-up mediated intervention efficacy.,Though effects were assessed after only 1 month, findings have potential to inform broader, population-level programs designed for young veterans to prevent escalation of drinking and development of long-term alcohol problems. Given the simplicity of the PNF approach and ease of administration, this intervention has the potential for a substantial impact on public health.

OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of a psychoeducational video on posttraumatic distress and factors related to the mental health treatment seeking process among trauma care center patients receiving care following hospitalization for a serious physical injury. METHOD: Ninety-nine, predominantly Hispanic American (59%) and male (84%), participants were randomized to view either a psychoeducation intervention or a wound care control video. Participants were assessed at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 1-month follow-up on posttraumatic stress reactions, attitudes toward mental health service utilization, and knowledge and self-recognition of posttraumatic stress symptoms. RESULTS: Immediately after viewing the psychoeducational video, participants exhibited greater knowledge of PTSD symptoms and more positive beliefs about mental health treatment than those in the wound care condition. At 1-month follow-up, however, these differences were no longer maintained. Further, no significant differences in PTSD were found between the intervention and control groups. Differences in self-recognition of PTSD nearly reached significance with psychoeducation intervention participants being more likely to recognize their symptoms as mental health problems than control condition participants. CONCLUSION: Brief psychoeducation interventions for traumatic injury survivors may have had immediate modest effects on mental health literacy, beliefs about mental health treatment, and self-recognition of PTSD, but were not maintained at 1-month follow-up. More comprehensive and targeted interventions may be needed to facilitate more potent and long-lasting change.

PURPOSE: Given the high rate of dating violence between teens and associated deleterious outcomes, the need for effective prevention and early intervention programs is clear. Break the Cycle's Ending Violence curriculum, a three-class-session prevention program focused on legal issues, is evaluated here for its impact on Latino/a youth. METHODS: Tracks within large urban high schools that had at least 80% Latino/a students were randomized to immediate or delayed curriculum. Classrooms were randomly selected within tracks and individual student outcomes were assessed pre- and postintervention and six months later. RESULTS: Students in intervention classrooms showed improved knowledge, less acceptance of female-on-male aggression, and enhanced perception of the helpfulness and likelihood of seeking assistance from a number of sources immediately after the program. Improved knowledge and perceived helpfulness of an attorney were maintained six months later. There were no differences in recent abusive/fearful dating experiences or violence victimization or perpetration. CONCLUSIONS: The Ending Violence curriculum has an impact on teen norms, knowledge, and help-seeking proclivities that may aid in early intervention for dating violence among Latino/a students.