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Original Research | Psychology | Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026 | Pages: 1940 - 1944 | India
Does Age Matter? Age-Related Variation in Treatment Response Following Motivational Interviewing among Recreational Substance Use
Abstract: Background: Young adulthood is a developmental period characterized by increased experimentation and vulnerability to recreational substance use. Although Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based intervention for reducing substance-related risk behaviours, limited research has examined whether its effectiveness differs across developmental stages within young adulthood. The present study investigated age-related differences in response to MI among recreational substance users. Methods: A quantitative pre-test-post-test comparative study was conducted among recreational substance users who received MI as part of a randomized intervention study. Forty-seven participants who completed the intervention and four-week follow-up assessment were included and categorized into two age groups: 18-22 years (n = 24) and 23-26 years (n = 23). Substance-related risk was assessed using the NIDA-modified Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) at baseline and four weeks following the intervention. Within-group changes were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, while changes in ASSIST scores between age groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Significant reductions in NIDA-modified ASSIST scores were observed following Motivational Interviewing among participants aged 18-22 years (Z = -3.90, p
Keywords: Motivational Interviewing, recreational substance use, young adults, age differences, treatment response, NIDA-modified ASSIST, early intervention
How to Cite?: Stella Yangzee Sherpa, Rita Rani Talukdar, "Does Age Matter? Age-Related Variation in Treatment Response Following Motivational Interviewing among Recreational Substance Use", Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1940-1944, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26706203843, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26706203843