GIRLS (COMPLETED)

This exploratory (R21) 2-year research project (Treating Girls’ Problems with Alcohol and Other Drugs; Project GIRLS) was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA; 1R21AA014914-01A1) to develop and test a brief motivational intervention (BMI) for reducing alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems in a multicultural sample of adolescent girls. This study conducted an initial evaluation of the Guided Self-Change (GSC) approach with an adolescent female population. GSC is a treatment with demonstrated effectiveness in reducing AOD problems in male youth. Participants in the study consist of a diverse sample of at-risk female students (ages 14 to 18) attending alternative high schools in Miami. Participants were randomly assigned to two conditions: (1) GSC or (2) no-treatment control. Treatment consisted of 5-weekly individual GSC sessions. Participants in the GSC condition were assessed before and after the treatment and at 3- and 6-month follow-up intervals. Control group participants were assessed at parallel intervals.

Principal Investigator: Marilyn Montgomery, Ph.D.

Co-Investigators: Eric Wagner, Ph.D., Andres Gil, Ph.D., & Jonathan Tubman, Ph.D.

References:

• Gray, C.M., & Montgomery, M.J. (2012). Links between alcohol and other drug problems and maltreatment among adolescent girls: Perceived discrimination, ethnic identity, and ethnic orientation as moderators. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36(5), 449-460.