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Alcohol Use Disorder · Journal article
Addictive Behaviors Reports · July 10, 2026
Well-designed and adequately powered for the question it asks.
This systematic review of 32 RCTs finds that brief motivational interviewing produces consistent short-term reductions in alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and alcohol-related consequences across multiple adult populations, with strongest evidence in university students and emergency department patients. However, intervention effects frequently attenuate beyond 6–12 months, and benefits are less reliable among individuals with psychiatric comorbidity or social vulnerability, suggesting that booster contact or ongoing support may be necessary to sustain long-term change.
Systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Adults with hazardous or harmful alcohol use from diverse settings: university students, emergency department patients, individuals with psychiatric or medical comorbidities, and socially vulnerable populations. Intervention: Brief motivational interviewing (BMI), typically delivered through one or more brief sessions incorporating personalized feedback, reflective listening, elicitation of change talk, and collaborative goal setting; included traditional face-….
BMI was generally associated with reductions in alcohol consumption, binge drinking frequency, heavy drinking days, alcohol-related consequences, and AUDIT scores Effects were more consistently observed among university students and emergency department populations Technology-assisted and hybrid BMI approaches demonstrated short-term effectiveness comparable to traditional face-to-face delivery
Safety was not reported in the material analysed. Check the source before drawing any conclusion about harm.
Brief motivational interviewing appears feasible and effective for reducing alcohol-related harm in routine clinical settings, particularly in opportunistic encounters; clinicians should consider adding booster sessions or ongoing support strategies to maintain long-term benefits, especially for vulnerable or comorbid populations.
Systematic review of 32 RCTs with consistent evidence of short-term effectiveness across diverse populations, though long-term durability remains uncertain and effects are heterogeneous by subgroup.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
Brief motivational interviewing appears feasible and effective for reducing alcohol-related harm in routine clinical settings, particularly in opportunistic encounters; clinicians should consider adding booster sessions or ongoing support strategies to maintain long-term benefits, especially for vulnerable or comorbid populations.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Background. Alcohol misuse remains a major global public health concern. Brief motivational interviewing (BMI) is a time-efficient, patient-centered intervention for reducing hazardous and harmful alcohol use.Methods. This systematic review synthesized evidence from 32 randomized controlled trials published between 2015 and 2025 evaluating BMI interventions for alcohol misuse in adults. Studies involving university students, emergency department patients, individuals with psychiatric or medical comorbidities, and socially vulnerable populations were included.Results. BMI was generally associated with reductions in alcohol consumption, binge drinking frequency, heavy drinking days, alcohol-related consequences, and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores. Effects were more consistently observed among university students and emergency department populations, whereas findings were more variable among individuals with psychiatric comorbidity or social vulnerability. Technology-assisted and hybrid BMI approaches demonstrated short-term effectiveness comparable to traditional face-to-face delivery, although intervention effects frequently attenuated beyond 6-12 months.Conclusions. BMI appears to be a flexible and clinically meaningful intervention for reducing alcohol-related harm across diverse adult populations. However, long-term benefits were less consistently maintained, suggesting that ongoing support strategies, such as booster contacts, digital monitoring, or continued clinician involvement, may be important for sustaining behavioral change over time.
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