Narrative Writing to Promote Healthy Decisions About Alcohol During the Transition Out of College

NCT07418424 | Enrolling By Invitation DMC

• 2 other identifiers: STUDY00024354R01AA030750-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 468
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of the proposed research is to evaluate (1) whether a future possible self task (FPST) can lead to changes drinking identity (DI; how much one associates one's self with drinking) and (2) whether the FPST and changes in drinking identity also change indicators of alcohol misuse . This study focuses on individuals who are graduating from college, which is a time of transition and identity change. If such changes can be demonstrated, DI may be a mechanism for alcohol misuse and the FPST may be an additional, novel intervention strategy to reduce alcohol misuse during the post-college transition. The goal of this clinical trial is to test the future possible self task (FPST) in individuals who are about to graduate from college. The main questions it aims to answer are: Can the FPST change drinking identity (a risk factor for alcohol misuse)? Can the FPST reduce risks for alcohol misuse? Participants will complete the FPST, a task that involves writing for 20 minutes, and will answer a series of questionnaires and computer-based word categorization tasks. Participants will be followed for a year after completing the FPST. Researchers will compare different versions of the FPST and different doses (one writing sessions vs. 3 writing sessions) to see which are more effective for changing drinking identity and reducing risks for alcohol misuse.

Conditions

Alcohol Use, Unspecified

Keywords

drinking identity; developmental transitions; college graduation; alcohol misuse

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Explicit drinking identity

  This is will be evaluated by the Alcohol Self-Concept Scale. A mean score will be calculated. Scores range from -3 to +3. Higher scores indicate stronger alcohol self-concept

  Will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention (about 2 weeks after baseline), 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up

• Implicit drinking identity

  This is will be evaluated by the Drinking Identity Implicit Association Test (IAT). A summary score, called a D score, which is similar to a Cohen's d effect size, will be calculated. Scores range from -2 to +2; higher scores indicate stronger implicit drinking identity.

  Will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention (about 2 weeks after baseline), 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up

• Drinks per week

  This is will be evaluated by the Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ). It assesses drinks consumed each day of the week during a typical week during the last month. A sum of drinks over the course of the week will be calculated.

  Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up

• Peak drinks per month

  This is will be evaluated by the Quantity/Frequency Measure (Q/F). It includes an assessment of the number of drinks consumed when one drank the most during the last month.

  Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up

• Typical drinks per occasion

  This is will be evaluated by the Quantity/Frequency Measure (Q/F). It includes an assessment of the number of drinks consumed on a typical drinking occasion during the last month.

  Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up

• Alcohol-related problems

  This is will be evaluated by the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire. It assesses the consequences of drinking (happened yes or no) that occurred during the last month. A sum will be calculated. Higher scores indicate more experiencing more negative consequences from drinking. Scores range from 0 to 24

  Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up

Secondary Outcomes (10)

• Risk of Alcohol Use Disorder

  Will be assessed at baseline and at 12-month follow-up

• Alcohol Craving - Momentary

  Will be assessed at baseline and 2 weeks after baseline

• Alcohol Craving - Current

  Will be assessed 2 weeks after baseline

• Alcohol Craving - Retrospective

  Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up

• Alcohol Expectancies

  Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up

Study Arms (8)

Most hoped for future self, 3 dose

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most hoped for future self, weekly for 3 weeks (i.e., at each session).

Behavioral: Most hoped for future self

Most hoped future self, 1 dose

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most hoped for future self one time (on the third session).

Behavioral: Most hoped for future self

Most feared future self, 3 dose

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most feared future self, weekly for 3 weeks (i.e., at each session).

Behavioral: Most feared future self

Most feared future self, 1 dose

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most feared future self one time (on the third session).

Behavioral: Most feared future self

Balanced self (hoped and feared self), 3 dose

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most hoped for and feared future self, weekly for 3 weeks (i.e., at each session).

Behavioral: Balanced future self

Balanced self (hoped and feared self), 1 dose

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most hoped for and feared future self one time (on the third session).

Behavioral: Balanced future self

Control, 3 dose

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants in this condition complete a task in which they think and write about a trip to the zoo weekly for 3 weeks (i.e., at each session).

Behavioral: Control (trip to zoo)

Control, 1 dose

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants in this condition complete a task in which they think and write about a trip to the zoo one time (on the third session).

Behavioral: Control (trip to zoo)

Interventions

Most hoped for future self BEHAVIORAL

Participants in this condition complete a version of the future possible self task in which they think and write about their most hoped for future self for 20 minutes.

Most hoped for future self, 3 dose; Most hoped future self, 1 dose

Most feared future self BEHAVIORAL

Participants in this condition complete a version of the future possible self task in which they think and write about their most feared future self for 20 minutes.

Most feared future self, 1 dose; Most feared future self, 3 dose

Balanced future self BEHAVIORAL

Participants in this condition complete a version of the future possible self task in which they think and write about their most hoped for and feared future self for 20 minutes.

Balanced self (hoped and feared self), 1 dose; Balanced self (hoped and feared self), 3 dose

Control (trip to zoo) BEHAVIORAL

Participants in this condition think and write about a future trip to the zoo for 20 minutes

Control, 1 dose; Control, 3 dose

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Senior in college and expecting to graduate at the University of Washington or University of Houston
• Between the ages of 18-25
• Full time student
• Fluent in English
• Is willing to attend 3 weekly virtual laboratory sessions hosted on HIPAA-compliant Zoom
• Is willing to provide contact information including phone number (for text messages and reminders), email (reminders), and mailing address (payment)
• Scores 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT; cut-off for indicator of hazardous drinking) and reports drinking alcohol in the last week
• Reports at least some interest in reducing drinking

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Washington: lead
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Houston

Houston, Texas, 77204, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Alcohol Drinking

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Drinking Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Kristen Lindgren, PhD

  University of Washington

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Please note that outcomes are assessed by online survey. No person is in the role of an outcomes assessor.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 10, 2026
• First Posted: February 18, 2026
• Study Start: February 10, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2028
• Last Updated: February 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Locations

US (1)