This research aimed to determine whether the effectiveness of a traditional driving under the influence (DUI) group intervention program could be enhanced by the addition of 2 brief individual intervention sessions and a followup. Differential effectiveness of the individual intervention component was examined for 4 offender subgroups previously identified as being at high risk or vulnerable. 4,074 adjudicated 1st-time DUI offenders (3,298 male, 776 female) were randomly assigned to a standard 1st-offender program or an enhanced standard program that included 2 short individual sessions and a brief followup session. Results show depressed offenders who were assigned to the enhanced program were 35% less likely to recidivate than those assigned to the standard program. Effectiveness of the 2 programs did not differ significantly for offenders self-reporting low depression. No major interaction effects were found between program type and age, minority status, or gender. After controlling for depressed mood, problem-drinker status was not related to program effectiveness; but, problem drinkers had higher depression rates.
Abstract