Comparison of a smartphone app for alcohol use disorders with an Internet-based intervention plus bibliotherapy: A pilot study.

Objective To date no research has evaluated the efficacy of a stand-alone, smartphone-based intervention for individuals with an alcohol use disorder. The current pilot study evaluated the short-term outcomes of a smartphone-based intervention for alcohol use disorders compared with an internet-based brief motivational intervention plus bibliotherapy. Method Adults (18 to 45 years old) with an alcohol use disorder received either the Location-Based Monitoring and Intervention for Alcohol Use Disorders (LBMI-A; n = 28), a smartphone-based intervention, or the online Drinker’s Check-up plus bibliotherapy (DCU+bib; n = 26). These groups were compared using the Timeline Followback interview for percent days abstinent (PDA), percent heavy drinking days (PHDD), and drinks per week (DPW) from baseline to six weeks after the introduction of the interventions. Results Multilevel models revealed that the LBMI-A resulted in a significant increase in PDA over the course of the study, while the DCU+bib did not. Effect sizes for change from baseline for PDA suggest that the DCU+bib resulted in moderate a decrease, while the LBMI-A resulted in a large increase in PDA. Both interventions resulted in significant decreases in PHDD and DPW. The LBMI-A produced larger reductions in the first three to four weeks after the intervention was introduced than the DCU+bib. On weeks with greater LBMI-A usage, participants reported less DPW and PHDD. Conclusions Both interventions resulted in significant decreases in alcohol use over the 6-week trial, which is promising for stand-alone technology-based intervention systems aimed at individuals with an alcohol use disorder.