MinderDrinken.nl (Drinking Less)

Description:

MinderDrinken is an interactive Dutch self-help intervention for problem drinkers, based on cognitive-behavioural and self-control principles. The program is structured into 4 steps: (i) preparing for action; (ii) goal setting; (iii) behavioural change; and (iv) maintenance of gains and relapse prevention. The site also provides information on alcohol and treatment services and a moderated peer-to-peer discussion forum. The recommended treatment period is six weeks.

Service URL:

http://www.minderdrinken.nl/

Agency Responsible:

Trimbos-Institute.

Details

Format:

Website.

Intervention Type:

Psychological – CBT.

Course Length:

Long (more than 5 modules). Takes 6 weeks to complete

Support Option:

Automated only.

Target Audience

Primary Category:

Alcohol. Specifically for problem drinkers

Target Audience:

Adult.

Language:

Dutch.

Access

Fee:

Free.

Access:

Open: With registration.

Contact Details:

webmaster@minderdrinken.nl

Research evidence

Research Trials:

2

Research RCTs:

0

Outcome Summary:

In a randomised trial, the MinderDrinken intervention was shown to be effective in reducing problem drinking. Participants in the trial were randomised to either the MinderDrinken program (intervention group) or to a psychoeducation condition. At follow-up, compared to the control group, significantly more of the intervention group had reduced their drinking to within the guideline norms (17.2% of the intervention group participants versus 5.4% of control group). The intervention group also showed a greater reduction in alcohol use, with a mean decrease in weekly alcohol consumption of 15 units, compared to a decrease of 2.9 units in the control group. This corresponds to a medium standardised effect size of d = 0.40. An uncontrolled study of the effectiveness of MinderDrinken in a real world setting found that the impact of the program was similar to that seen in the initial study in terms of improvements in drinking outcomes. Results of these two studies provides evidence that the MinderDrinken site might work in helping to address problem drinking.

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Recommended rating, reviewer 2:

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Research paper citations

Evidence Evaluation studies:
Riper, H., Kramer, J., Smit, F., Conijn, B., Schippers, G., & Cuijpers, P. (2008). Web-based self-help for problem drinkers: a pragmatic randomized trial. Addiction, 103(2), 218-227.

Riper, H., Kramer, J., Conijn, B., Smit, F., Schippers, G., & Cuijpers, P. (2009). Translating effective web-based self-help for problem drinking into the real world. Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research, 33(8), 1401-1408.

Additional references:
Crutzen, R. et al (2011) Bringing loyalty to e-Health: theory validation using three internet-delivered interventions. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 13(3): e73