Improving Brief Alcohol Interventions With a Behavioral Economic Supplement

NCT02834949 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 5R01AA020829-03
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 393
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a Substance-Free Activity Session (SFAS) as a supplement to a brief motivation intervention (BMI) in reducing alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences in college students.

Conditions

Alcohol Abuse

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in Alcohol Use from baseline to follow-up (4 timepoints)

  Self-reported drinks consumed in a typical week

  Baseline, 1-month, 6-months, 12-months and 16-months

• Change in Alcohol-related Problems from baseline to follow-up (4 timepoints)

  Self-reported alcohol-related consequences

  Baseline, 1-month, 6-months, 12-months and 16-months

Study Arms (3)

BMI + SFAS

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants first receive a 50-minute standard brief motivational intervention designed to reduce alcohol use. A week later, they will receive the SFAS (Substance-free Activity Session., a 50-minute counseling session designed to increase the salience of the student's academic and career goals, draw attention to the potentially negative relationship between substance use and goal accomplishment, and increase engagement in substance-free alternative activities. The SFAS will be described to participants as the "College Adjustment Session" and the session will be conducted using an MI plus personalized feedback approach.

Behavioral: Brief Motivational Intervention (BMI); Behavioral: Substance-Free Activity Session (SFAS)

BMI + Relaxation Session

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants first receive a 50-minute standard brief motivational intervention designed to reduce alcohol use. A week later, they will receive a relaxation training session. In the relaxation training session, the clinician leads the student through a diaphragmatic breathing exercise, followed by a progressive muscle relaxation protocol (\~30 minutes). At the end of the session, participants will be asked about their reaction to the relaxation techniques and provided with relaxation training handouts.

Behavioral: Brief Motivational Intervention (BMI); Behavioral: Relaxation Session

Assessment

NO INTERVENTION

Participants will fill out a battery of measures and receive no intervention.

Interventions

Brief Motivational Intervention (BMI) BEHAVIORAL

This session includes a discussion related to harm reduction and the student's autonomy to make decisions about the information provided in the session; an alcohol use decisional balance exercise; personalized alcohol-related feedback, and goal-setting. Elements included in the feedback are: (a) comparison of the student's perception of how much college students drink and actual student norms, (b) a comparison of the student's alcohol consumption vs. norms, (c) an estimate of the student's peak blood alcohol content in the past month, (d) alcohol-related problems experienced, (e) money spent on alcohol, and (f) calories consumed from alcohol. Participants discuss the personalized feedback with the clinician and review protective behavioral strategies if he or she indicates interest.

BMI + Relaxation Session; BMI + SFAS

Substance-Free Activity Session (SFAS) BEHAVIORAL

The clinician initiates a discussion of the student's college and career goals. Students discuss the values that motivate them as well as how alcohol use may interfere with their ability to accomplish these goals. Students then receive information on graduation rates and income benefits for those who attend and excel in college. They receive personalized feedback on (a) the requirements for their major and intended career, (b) a list of extracurricular activities tailored to their goals, (c) a graph showing time they allocate to their activities, (d) information on stress and depressive symptoms (if applicable) and possible adaptive coping responses and (e) a list of substance-free recreational activities in which they would like to start or continuing engaging.

BMI + SFAS

Relaxation Session BEHAVIORAL

The session includes a clinician-led diaphragmatic breathing exercise, followed by a progressive muscle relaxation protocol (\~30 minutes). At the end of the session, participants will be asked about their reaction to the relaxation techniques and provided with relaxation training handouts.

BMI + Relaxation Session

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 27 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Male and female University of Memphis and University of Missouri
• College freshman or sophomore
• Full time student status
• Report 2 or more heavy drinking episodes (5/4 drinks for men/women) in the past month

You may not qualify if:

• Employed more than 20 hours per week

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Memphis: lead

Study Sites (2)

University of Missouri

Columbia, Missouri, 65211, United States

Location

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee, 38152, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Alcoholism

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Alcohol-Related Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• James G Murphy, Ph.D.

  University of Memphis

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 8, 2016
• First Posted: July 15, 2016
• Study Start: July 1, 2012
• Primary Completion: August 1, 2017
• Study Completion: August 1, 2017
• Last Updated: October 26, 2017

Record last verified: 2017-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

US (2)