OBJECTIVE: Post-9/11 U.S. veterans exhibit elevated rates of hazardous drinking, alcohol use disorder, and co-occurring mental health conditions, yet many do not access behavioral health treatment. We evaluated BRAVE, a single-session, mobile phone–delivered intervention integrating personalized normative feedback, motivational interviewing, and values-based strategies to reduce alcohol use and promote treatment engagement.
METHODS: Post-9/11 young adult veterans aged 18–40 who screened positive for hazardous drinking and were not engaged in behavioral health care (N = 748) were recruited via targeted social media ads and randomized to BRAVE or an interactive resources-only control condition. Participants completed baseline and 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-up surveys assessing alcohol use, alcohol-related consequences, mental health symptoms, treatment receipt, and readiness for care.
RESULTS: Compared with control, BRAVE produced a significant sustained reduction in alcohol-related consequences over 12 months (B = -0.07). Post hoc analyses showed significant decreases in physical and interpersonal consequences from drinking. Though outcomes of drinking frequency, drinking quantity, binge drinking frequency, readiness to seek care, and behavioral health treatment receipt favored BRAVE, none of these treatment effects were significant, and effect sizes were very small in magnitude. In post hoc analyses restricted to veterans screening positive at baseline for alcohol use disorder, anxiety, depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder, we observed that among veterans screening positive for anxiety disorders, BRAVE participants were notably 15% more likely to receive treatment during follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that this brief, mobile intervention can yield meaningful reductions in alcohol-related harm. Broader dissemination and exploration of multisession or peer-supported enhancements may strengthen long-term impacts.
A randomized controlled trial of a brief online intervention to reduce alcohol misuse and promote treatment initiation among veterans
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology [Epub 2026 Jul 20]. doi: 10.1037/ccp0001023.