No Effect of Brief Motivational Interview on Co-Occurring IPV and Heavy Drinking

Prior trials of brief motivational interviewing in the emergency department (ED) suggest a small benefit for reducing heavy drinking, but this benefit has been highly gender-specific, occurring mostly among men. In the current study, researchers tested whether an intervention designed to reduce both intimate partner violence (IPV) and heavy drinking could provide a benefit to women.

Of 600 eligible women identified from two urban Pennsylvania EDs (mean age, 32 years), 242 were randomized to receive a 20 to 30 minute motivational interview from an experienced, master's-level therapist and a follow-up telephone booster. Controls included 237 patients who received the same weekly assessments of primary outcomes (days of heavy alcohol consumptio…