The Impact of Skill Utilization on Alcohol Use Outcomes Following Completion of a Brief Web-Based Alcohol...

Objective: This study examined the impact of skill utilization on alcohol use outcomes following a brief mobile-based intervention among heavy-drinking college women with sexual assault histories. Method: Participants were heavy drinking college women with sexual assault histories (N = 77) who were randomized as part of a larger study to complete a 14-d intervention that included modules focused on emotion regulation (ER) and alcohol reduction strategies. Alcohol outcomes were assessed immediately post-treatment and at 1- and 6-month follow-ups, measuring both weekly drinking and heavy episodic drinking. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models evaluated the relationship between both ER skills and alcohol reduction strategies utilization and alcohol outcomes over time. Results: Greater average utilization of alcohol reduction strategies was associated with a lower likelihood of exceeding the recommended weekly drinking limit across follow-ups. However, whereas greater average ER skill utilization was linked to reduced heavy drinking, within-person increases in ER skill utilization over time were paradoxically associated with a higher likelihood of heavy drinking at the 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: These findings suggest that skill utilization is a key factor driving intervention efficacy, with alcohol reduction strategies potentially offering consistent protection against heavy drinking over time. However, the complex relationship between ER skill usage and heavy drinking warrants further investigation. This study underscores the importance of examining both the short- and long-term effects of skill utilization to enhance mobile-based interventions aimed at reducing risky alcohol use among vulnerable populations.