Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have developed an intervention program for students who turn to drinking to relieve social anxiety, a predictor of alcohol dependence among adolescents.

The program uses “motivational interviewing” and behavioral therapy to help students, says a report posted on the university’s Web site. Participating students attended three sessions, of 90 minutes each, to talk about the link between social anxiety and drinking problems, as well as strategies for dealing with both more effectively.

In follow-up sessions, students reported a decline in the number of drinks they had consumed; less fear of being judged negatively by their peers; and more confidence about turning down a drink.

The findings were presented this month at the annual conference of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, in Philadelphia. —Eric Hoover