Effectiveness of a multi media self-help intervention for problem drinkers: 'The Telec Course Drinking less, do it yourself!' A randomized controlled trial.

In a randomized clinical trial (RCT) the effectiveness of a multi media self-help intervention is studied. The experimental group is compared to a waiting list control group. The waiting list control group receives the material one week after the experimental group has finished the course and after the first follow-up measurement.
The course materials are: a course book, five DVDs containing one episode and a self help website: www.minderdrinken.nl. Measurements take place at baseline, 8 weeks later (after the first course group) and 3 months later. The primary outcome is the number of standard units alcohol a week.

Compared to a waiting list control group, do participants who receive a multi media self-help program drink less standard units of alcohol a week?

N/A

The experimental Group received the multichannel Teleac course ‘Drinking less, do it yourself!’. It’s a cognitive behavioural self-help intervention to reduce alcohol consumption. The course consists of a course book (‘Drinking less’; Lemmers et al, 2006), five television episodes of 25 minutes (Teleac/NOT, 2006) the self-help site MinderDrinken.nl (Riper e.a., 2002) and an informative site of Teleac: www.teleac.nl/minderdrinken.nl. The book has 190 pages and contains information, exercises and a diary to register alcohol intake. The television episodes follow the information in the five chapters of the book. Also two students are followed over time while they work through the course. A tv-coach gives advise.
The waiting list control group receives the intervention after the post-measurement (about 8 weeks afther baseline).