Development and Preliminary Examination of Two Brief Personalized Feedback Interventions Focused on Lab-based and EMA Alcohol Cues to Reduce Hazardous Young Adult Alcohol Use
Phase: NA
Conditions: Alcohol Consumption
Sponsor: University of Washington

Official Title: Development and Preliminary Examination of Two Brief Personalized Feedback Interventions 
Focused on Lab-based and EMA Alcohol Cues to Reduce Hazardous Young Adult Alcohol Use 
Brief Title: Testing Brief Personalized Feedback Integrating Lab-based Alcohol Cue Information (Project ACE) 
NCT number: NCT05873556 
Document date: February 15, 2025 
 
 

 
STUDY PROTOCOL 
 
Given the role of cue reactivity in eliciting alcohol-related cravings that can lead to increased alcohol use, the 
current study develops and tests a novel intervention strategy that may ultimately increase the strength of 
Personalized Feedback Intervention (PFI) effects to reduce young adult alcohol misuse. We developed a novel 
Cue Reactivity PFI based on an in vivo cue reactivity session that includes personalized feedback regarding 
the extent to which young adults’ desire to drink varied in response to an alcohol cue (i.e., alcoholic beverage 
of their choice) presented during a lab session. We anticipate that this feedback will increase young adults’ 
awareness of their drinking, consequences, and cues that may increase their desire to drink. The intervention 
aims to equip young adults with strategies for reducing exposure to factors that increase their desire to drink, 
how to cope with an increased desire to drink, and how to reduce potential harms from drinking.   
 
The study design is a randomized clinical trial that includes an in-person in vivo cue reactivity session at the 
study office and online baseline, 2-week, and 3-month surveys. Participants are randomized to either a PFI 
condition or an assessment-only condition. The study tests initial development of the PFI intervention, which is 
in the form of personalized feedback and is delivered online to the intervention group. All participants complete 
the cue reactivity session and baseline, 2-week and 3-month surveys.  
 
Individuals who agreed to participate in the screening survey (Information Statement presented) and who were 
eligible based on the screening survey were contacted by research staff to verify their identity (e.g., name, date 
of birth). Participants were then sent a link to complete the informed consent process (Consent Form) and 
baseline survey. In the baseline survey, participants identified their preferred beverage from a list of alcoholic 
beverages that are commonly consumed by young adults and that cover a range of alcohol types (e.g., beer, 
wine). After participants completed the baseline survey, they were scheduled for an in-person in vivo cue 
reactivity session with a research staff member.  
 
All participants complete the lab-based cue reactivity protocol that involves an in vivo alcohol cue exposure 
task. At the start of the lab session, participants were randomized to either a cue reactivity PFI condition or 
assessment-only condition. In the lab session, participants first confirmed their identity by showing either a 
drivers license or ID card. To enhance the personalization of the cues, the cue reactivity protocol for each 
participant involves exposure to their preferred alcoholic beverage. During the lab session, participants 
complete a series of questionnaires, both before and after the cue exposure. Participants undergo a 3-minute 
block in which they are instructed (by audio delivered via headphones) to hold and smell a glass of their 
preferred alcoholic beverage. Participants follow the audio-taped instructions about picking up and smelling the 
beverage.  
 
After the cue reactivity protocol, participants in the control condition complete several additional questionnaires 
to increase comparability of session time. Participants in the PFI condition view the online personalized 
feedback and complete a brief survey to assess reactions to their feedback. Intervention participants are also 
emailed a link to their personalized feedback so the participant can view it again after the lab session. The 
personalized feedback consists of pre-programmed content viewable on either a computer or mobile phone. 
The personalized feedback uses participants' responses from the baseline survey and from the lab-based cue 
reactivity protocol. The aim of the intervention is to increase young adults' awareness of how alcohol cues may 
affect their desire to drink, mood, willingness to drink, and alcohol demand both in relation to lab-based 
exposure to an alcohol beverage of their choice and also more broadly in everyday life.