Digital Support for Youth Mental Health: An Innovative Approach to Address Anxiety and Alcohol Problems

Abstract

Background: Anxiety and alcohol use disorders are two common, debilitating conditions among young people which often co-occur. If left untreated, they can fuel each other in a vicious cycle, leading to more severe symptoms and greater impairment. Developmentally-targeted interventions are needed to prevent the escalation of symptoms into chronic disorders. A RCT was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the ‘Inroads’ program, an internet-delivered program that targets anxiety, alcohol use, and the interconnections between these problems.   Method: Participants (aged 17-24; n=123) experiencing heightened anxiety and hazardous alcohol use were randomised to Inroads (5 online CBT modules plus weekly psychologist support) or a psychoeducation control. Primary outcomes assessed 2- and 6-months after baseline included alcohol consumption in the past month, alcohol-related consequences, and generalised anxiety symptoms. Secondary outcomes were hazardous drinking, binge drinking, social anxiety, depression and functional impairment. Analysis involved intention-to-treat multi-level mixed models for repeated measures.   Results: The Inroads program reduced social and generalised anxiety, hazardous drinking, and depression relative to control at 2-months, with sustained effects on social anxiety and hazardous drinking up to 6-months. Benefits for alcohol consumption and binge drinking were greater and sustained at 6-months for participants in the Inroads group.   Conclusion: The is the first study to evaluate the benefits of an early intervention aiming to interrupt the trajectory to clinical-level, entrenched disorders. The online format combined with psychologist support is aligned with youth treatment preferences, and has potential for wide dissemination to reach those who are not able/willing to access face-to-face treatment.