Interview as intervention: the case of young adult multidrug users in the club scene.

This paper reports on changes in substance use and substance dependence symptoms-without intervention-among young adult multidrug users in the club scene, ages 18-29, (N = 444) who participated in a natural history study. Computer-assisted personal interviews at baseline and 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-ups included well-tested measures of substance use and dependence. Changes in substance dependence symptoms and drug use frequencies were calculated using Cohen's d statistic. Mean age was 22; 40% were female; 58% were Hispanic, 17% White, and 21% Black. At 18-month follow-up assessment, participants reported significantly fewer days of cocaine (d = -.85 at 18 months), ecstasy (d = -.93), benzodiazepine (d = -.82), and prescription opioid (d = -.81) use, as well as reduced substance dependence symptoms (d = -.42). These results, together with data from focus groups with completers, suggest that comprehensive health and social risk assessments may have quite strong intervention effects among young adult multidrug users.