Aldridge, A., Linford, R., & Bray, J. (2017). Substance use outcomes of patients served by a large US implementation of Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). Addiction, 112, 43-53.
The basic goal for a client in any substance abuse treatment setting is to reduce the risk of harm from continued use of substances. The greatest degree of harm reduction would obviously result from abstinence, however, the specific goal for each individual client is determined by his consumption pattern, the consequences of his use, and the setting in which the brief intervention is delivered. Focusing on intermediate goals allows for more immediate successes in the intervention and treatment process, whatever the long-term goals are. In specialized treatment, intermediate goals might include quitting one substance, decreasing frequency of use, attending the next meeting, or doing the next homework assignment. Immediate successes are important to keep the client motivated.
Setting goals for clients is particularly useful in centers that specialize in substance abuse treatment. Performing brief interventions in this setting requires the ability to simplify and reduce a client’s treatment plan to smaller, measurable outcomes, often expressed as “objectives” in the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations’ (JCAHO) language of treatment planning. The clinician must be aware of the many everyday circumstances in which clients with substance abuse disorders face ambivalence during the course of treatment.
The key to a successful brief intervention is to extract a single, measurable behavioral change from the broad process of recovery that will allow the client to experience a small, incremental success. Clients who succeed at making small changes generally return for more successes. The clinician should temporarily set aside the final goal (e.g., accepting responsibility for one’s own recovery) to focus on a single behavioral objective. Once this objective is established, a brief intervention can be used to reach it. Objectives vary according to the client’s stage of recovery and readiness to change, but brief interventions can be useful at any stage of recovery.
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Table above presents several objectives that might be addressed with a brief intervention. The following are suggested goals for brief interventions according to the client’s level of consumption.
Abstainer
Even though abstainers do not require intervention, they can be educated about substance use with the aim of preventing a substance abuse disorder. Such prevention education programs are particularly important for youth.
Light or Moderate User
The goal of a brief intervention with someone who is a light or moderate user is to educate her about guidelines for low-risk use and potential problems of increased use. Even light or moderate use of some substances can result in health problems or, in the case of illicit substances, legal problems. These users may also engage in binge drinking (i.e., five or more drinks in a single occasion). Clients who drink should be encouraged to stay within empirically established guidelines for low-risk drinking (no more than 14 drinks per week or 4 per occasion for men and no more than 7 drinks per week or 3 per occasion for women [American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), 1994]).
Brief interventions can enhance users’ insight into existing or possible consequences or draw attention to the dangers associated with the establishment of an abusive pattern of substance use. For example, a woman who drinks moderately and is pregnant or who is contemplating a pregnancy can be advised to abstain from alcohol in order to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome. Brief interventions can also educate clients about the nature and dangers of substance abuse and possible warning signs of dependency. Older adults who take certain medications and use alcohol, even at this level, may be at risk for problems due to the interaction of medications and alcohol. See TIP 26, Substance Abuse Among Older Adults (CSAT, 1998b), for guidelines on alcohol use in older adulthood.
At-Risk User
This group includes those whose use is above recommended guidelines for alcohol use (as described above) or whose use puts them at risk for problems related to their consumption or at risk for meeting the criteria for a substance abuse disorder (e.g., people who may be able to report the requisite number of symptoms of a substance abuse disorder may not have three or more symptoms within a 12-month period). Brief interventions with this group address the level of use, encourage moderation or abstinence, and educate about the consequences of risky behavior and the risks associated with increased use. Brief interventions can help users understand the biological and social consequences of their substance use.
Abuser
The goal of intervention with this population, depending on the clinician’s theoretical perspective and the substances used, is to prevent any increase in the use of substances, to facilitate introspection about the consequences of risky behavior, to encourage the client to consider assessment or treatment, and to encourage moderation or abstinence. There is mixed evidence on whether persons who meet criteria for substance abuse can successfully reduce their use to meet lower-risk guidelines or if abstinence is the only reasonable goal.
Both research and clinical experience have produced varying results regarding this issue. From a clinical standpoint, however, some clients who meet abuse criteria may not achieve abstinence but might benefit from a positive, nonjudgmental approach to change their behavior over time. For example, after working with a clinician to monitor problems associated with the substance abuse, a client might agree not to drive after using substances or might consider quitting.
Goals of brief interventions with hazardous drinkers who are not alcohol dependent have been flexible, allowing the individual to choose drinking in moderation or abstinence. In such cases, the goal of the intervention is to motivate the problem drinker to change his behavior, not to assign blame. Helping clients to recognize the need for change is an essential step in this process.
Substance-dependent user
Intervention at this level of use may focus on encouraging users to consider treatment, to contemplate abstinence, or to return to treatment after a relapse. The goal of intervention for dependent users is to recommend the optimal behavior change and level of care. In reality, however, the clinician may be able to negotiate a change the client is willing to accept and work overtime toward abstinence. For example, if a client resist committing to prolonged abstinence, the provider could negotiate a limited period ending with a “check-up,” at which time the client might consider extending abstinence further.
It should be noted that some substance dependent clients may be in a life-threatening stage in their addiction or risk serious consequences such as losing their jobs, going to jail, or losing their families. For these clients, brief interventions should be linked to a referral strategy in which the goal is a therapeutic alliance between the client and the referral treatment team. Brief intervention in this context is more like “case management,” in which the primary care provider tracks the client’s progress with other service providers and determines if the client needs any additional services.
