A person who consumes alcohol occasionally is counseled for de-addiction. Which intervention is typically a 5–10 minute session?

Appeared in: NORCET 10 Mains

Explanation

Brief intervention is a short, evidence-based counseling method designed for individuals with or at risk of substance use issues.
These sessions are characteristically short, typically lasting 5 to 15 minutes, which aligns with the timeframe given in the question.
The goal is to motivate the individual to change their behavior, making it ideal for settings like primary care or emergency departments where time is limited.

Option B: Psychotherapy involves longer sessions, typically 45-60 minutes each, conducted over an extended period to address deep-seated psychological issues.
Option C: A rehabilitation program is an intensive, highly structured treatment that lasts for weeks or months, not a single short session.
Option D: This involves ongoing, regular sessions over a long period, which directly contradicts the '5-10 minute' specification in the question.

Visual 1: Flowchart - A flowchart illustrating the steps of the FRAMES model (Feedback, Responsibility, Advice, Menu, Empathy, Self-efficacy) to help visualize the conversation flow during a brief intervention.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Types of psychosocial interventions for substance use helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses in various settings (primary care, emergency, community health) are in a prime position to conduct brief interventions, as they often have first contact with at-risk individuals.
This skill is a key part of the 'Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment' (SBIRT) approach, a public health strategy to provide early intervention for substance use.
What if? If the person was a daily, heavy alcohol user with signs of withdrawal, a brief intervention alone would be insufficient. The priority would be medical stabilization and referral to a detoxification and rehabilitation program.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core requirement in the question stem: a counseling session that is '5–10 minutes' long.
Next, analyze the term 'occasional' consumer, which suggests the person is likely not in need of intensive, long-term treatment.
Evaluate each option based on its typical duration and intensity.
Recognize that psychotherapy, rehabilitation programs, and long-term counseling are all extended forms of treatment, making them incorrect.
The term 'Brief intervention' directly corresponds to a short, focused counseling session, making it the correct match for the time constraint.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Types of psychosocial interventions for substance use.
Stem keywords: alcohol, counseled, de-addiction, 5–10 minute session
Lead-in keywords: Which intervention
Clinical cues: 'occasional' alcohol use suggests a lower-risk individual, suitable for a brief intervention rather than intensive therapy.
Clinical cues: '5-10 minute session' is the key time constraint that points directly to a brief intervention.

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