Smartphone-paired Breathalyzers and Loss- and Gain-framed Texts for Reducing Drinking and Driving
Condition: Alcohol Drinking; Alcohol Intoxication; Alcohol Impairment; Drive; Driving Impaired; Driving Under the Influence; Behavior, Drinking
MeSH terms: Alcoholic Intoxication; Alcohol Drinking; Drinking Behavior
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of a scalable behavioral intervention using
      smartphone-paired breathalyzers and text message aimed at reducing drinking and driving among
      individuals who report heavy drinking. All participants receive a smartphone breathalyzer to
      provide feedback on their estimated blood alcohol level. The intervention compares loss- and
      gain-framed messages that make the consequences of drinking and driving more salient to
      standard messages not to drink and drive.
    

Detailed description: 
      The overall objective of this project is to leverage smartphone-paired breathalyzers to
      implement cost-effective and scalable behavioral interventions to reduce risky drinking
      behaviors such as drinking and driving. Prospect theory proposes that messages framed in
      different ways can elicit different responses from individuals. Loss aversion refers to
      people's tendency to prefer avoiding losses to acquiring equivalent gains: it's better to not
      lose $5 than to find $5. People are more motivated to avoid losing something than they are to
      win something. Studies have found that delivering messaging framed as a loss are also
      effective in motivating certain behaviors. On the other hand, gain-framed messages have been
      shown to have a positive effect on preventative healthcare. By using automated remote
      monitoring, innovative loss aversion and gain-framed messaging strategies incorporating
      insights from behavioral economics could be more easily implemented by delivering effective
      messaging prior to a risky behavior taking place. The investigators hope that the use of loss
      aversive and/or gain-framed messaging will lead to individuals improving planning behavior
      around drinking, especially in regards to drinking and driving. The objective of this project
      is to demonstrate the feasibility of a scalable intervention using loss- gain-framed
      messaging to reduce drinking and driving, compare the effectiveness of each type of
      messaging, and to increase the use of Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) monitors as a way to plan
      safer strategies when drinking. The investigators' long-term objective is to secure federal
      funding for research that leverages insights from behavioral economics supported by
      smartphone technology to reduce risky drinking.
    

Intervention name(s): Loss-framed text message; Gain-Framed text message
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Participants in the intervention group will receive loss-framed text messages related to drinking and driving on days during the week with a higher likelihood of alcohol consumption (Thursday-Saturday). Loss aversion refers to people's tendency to prefer avoiding losses to acquiring equivalent gains: it's better to not lose $5 than to find $5, so the content of the messages will be related to loss of personal freedom, loss of money, and loss of future employment opportunities due to Driving Under the Influence (DUI) convictions.; Participants in the intervention group will receive gain-framed text messages related to drinking and driving on days during the week with a higher likelihood of alcohol consumption (Thursday-Saturday). Gain-framed messages have been shown to have a positive effect on preventative healthcare and include content framed in a manner that the participant gains something from taking preventative action. Message content will be related to saving lives, gaining control, and making loved ones happy.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: alcohol; driving; breathalyzers; smartphone