Gain and Loss Framed Text Messaging to Reduce Drinking Among Older Adults

NCT06126107 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2023-0653-Hunter
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 133
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to evaluate effectiveness of scalable, tailored text- messaging programs for alcohol use among older adults. This study focuses on gain and loss framing of behavior change goals (i.e., the positives of change and the negatives of remaining with the status quo), critical components of behavioral science and health behavioral interventions. Loss-framing is used to motivate individuals to avoid future problems by focusing on the consequences of no change in behavior, and gain-framing is used to facilitate progress by focusing on the benefits of change. The investigators will design and evaluate three text-messaging programs using a randomized controlled trial: (A) Loss-framed messaging (B) Gain-framed messaging; and (C) Combined (loss and gain) messaging among a sample of 150 older adults with hazardous drinking. Participants will be randomized to one of the three conditions, each of which will include 8 weeks of text-messaging. During the study participants will completed assessments online and via text messages to track drinking.

Conditions

Alcohol Consumption

Keywords

Mobile Health; Text messaging; Behavioral economics; older adults

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Weekly sum of standard drinks

  Measure 1 of drinking, average of weekly sum of standard drinks

  baseline, week 4, week 8, and week 16

• Weekly sum of heavy drinking days

  Measure 2 of drinking, average of weekly heavy drinking days

  baseline, week 4, week 8, and week 16

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Percent adherence to daily drinking assessment via text messages

  once daily, starting at baseline, lasting for 8 weeks

• Percent adherence to weekly drinking assessment via web

  once weekly, starting at baseline, lasting 8 weeks

• Percent willingness to continue the program for another 8 weeks

  At week 8 assessment

Study Arms (3)

Loss-framed Messaging

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Daily text messages on the consequences of hazardous drinking (e.g., "Think of all you have lost as a result of drinking too much. Make today a day that sets the stage for change.")

Behavioral: Brief Normative Feedback; Behavioral: Loss-framed Text-messaging

Gain-framed Messaging

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Daily text messages on the benefits of reducing drinking to safe guidelines (e.g., "Think of all you can achieve if you can control your drinking. Make today a day that sets the stage for change.")

Behavioral: Brief Normative Feedback; Behavioral: Gain-framed Text-messaging

Gain-framed and Loss-framed Messaging

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Daily text messages that alternate between loss-framed (e.g., "Think of all you have lost as a result of drinking too much. Make today a day that sets the stage for change.") and gain-framed messaging (e.g., "Think of all you can achieve if you can control your drinking. Make today a day that sets the stage for change.")

Behavioral: Brief Normative Feedback; Behavioral: Loss-framed Text-messaging; Behavioral: Gain-framed Text-messaging

Interventions

Brief Normative Feedback BEHAVIORAL

Once a participant has completed the assessment of their drinking during the baseline battery, the participant will receive brief normative feedback about how their drinking compares to their peers.

Gain-framed Messaging; Gain-framed and Loss-framed Messaging; Loss-framed Messaging

Loss-framed Text-messaging BEHAVIORAL

Daily text-messages on the consequence of hazardous drinking.

Gain-framed and Loss-framed Messaging; Loss-framed Messaging

Gain-framed Text-messaging BEHAVIORAL

Daily text messages on the benefits of reducing drinking to safe guidelines.

Gain-framed Messaging; Gain-framed and Loss-framed Messaging

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 50 Years - 85 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Be fluent in and able to read English at the eighth grade level
• Between the ages 50 and 85
• Have an estimated average weekly consumption of greater than, for women and men 65 and older, 12, or for men 64 and younger, 15 standard drinks per week
• Be willing to reduce their drinking to non-hazardous levels
• Be willing to provide informed consent
• Own a mobile phone with SMS capability and have an active email address.
• Be willing to receive and respond to up to 120 text messages total per month, as well as four online, web- based surveys.

You may not qualify if:

• Demonstrate physiological dependence on alcohol, as evidenced by current or a history of serious physical withdrawal symptoms (e.g., measured by SAWS)
• Present with significant substance use (greater than weekly use) or a current substance use disorder (for any substance other than alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine, measured by self report on Form-90 based questions)
• Present with a serious psychiatric illness or suicide risk, as measured by previous inpatient treatment, medications for mood disorder or psychosis, recent suicidality, and the PHQ-9.
• Unable to understand research study procedures as evidenced by failing a short quiz at the end of reviewing the consent form.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hunter College of City University of New York: lead

Study Sites (1)

Hunter College of CUNY

New York, New York, 10035, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Alcohol Drinking

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Drinking Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Alexis Kuerbis, LCSW, PhD

  Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College City, University of New York

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: Participants will be blind to condition.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Participants will be urn randomized according to gender, age and intensity of drinking to the three conditions collected at screening. They will be assigned to one of 3 text-messaging programs.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 1, 2023
• First Posted: November 13, 2023
• Study Start: February 26, 2024
• Primary Completion: December 10, 2024
• Study Completion: December 10, 2024
• Last Updated: March 13, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-03

Locations

US (1)