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Mechanisms of change in drinking following an alcohol-related injury: A qualitative examination of the sentinel event effect
- Source :
- Subst Abus
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- SAGE Publications, 2021.
-
Abstract
- Background Sentinel events are negative health-related events that trigger change in risky health behaviors. Despite its presumed major role in behavior change, the sentinel event effect has received little empirical attention. Through analysis of qualitative interviews, we explored how sentinel events trigger behavior change. Methods Thematic analysis and concept mapping were used to develop a preliminary model of the sentinel event effect among a sample of 24 adult heavy drinking Mexican-origin men previously admitted to a hospital due to injury. The model was checked against cases that did versus did not report change in alcohol use following an alcohol-related negative event. Results Findings suggest that sentinel events may arouse negative emotional reactions, encourage reflection on the negative consequences of drinking, and cause reevaluation of the severity and significance of drinking. These processes may increase motivation to change. Conclusions Findings support the concept of the sentinel event as a natural intervention, and identifies potential social-cognitive and motivational mechanisms through which it influences change. Findings stand to inform research on mechanisms underlying brief intervention effects, and research that seeks to identify treatment targets.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Motivation
medicine.medical_specialty
Alcohol Drinking
Ethanol
business.industry
Event (relativity)
Behavior change
030508 substance abuse
Medicine (miscellaneous)
Article
03 medical and health sciences
Psychiatry and Mental health
0302 clinical medicine
Surveys and Questionnaires
Humans
Medicine
sense organs
030212 general & internal medicine
Brief intervention
skin and connective tissue diseases
0305 other medical science
business
Psychiatry
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15470164 and 08897077
- Volume :
- 42
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Substance Abuse
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....23fb2cb361618dbd8fccff5f955d4db0