Cultural adaptation of a web-based intervention to reduce alcohol consumption among adolescents in northwestern Mexico: a pilot feasibility and acceptability study

Introduction: alcohol consumption is a public health problem, and the current prevalence of alcohol consumption among adolescents is reported to be 20,6 %, and 5,2 % have reported excessive alcohol consumption in the past month. In this sense, cultural adaptations of affective interventions for alcohol consumption could generate beneficial results for behavior change. Objective: to culturally adapt a web-based intervention to reduce alcohol consumption among adolescents in northwestern Mexico and determine its feasibility and acceptability.Methods: a pilot study with a pre-experimental design (with one study group) and pre- and post-test measurements. Non-probability convenience sampling was used, comprising 13 high school adolescents. McKleroy's Map of Adaptation Process (MAP) was used to culturally adapt the Alcohol Alert intervention. A screening form was used to identify adolescent alcohol consumers, along with a form containing personal data and alcohol prevalence. A scale designed by the authors of this study was used to measure the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention.Results: the emerging categories were; language, consumption scenarios, consequences, types of alcoholic beverages. On the other hand, when comparing the first measurement (pretest) with the second (posttest), favorable changes were identified in the decrease in alcohol consumption in adolescents (23,1 % vs 7,7 %).Conclusions: the intervention turns out to be feasible, acceptable and culturally sensitive. Future studies should evaluate its effectiveness.