Personalized Booster Feedback After Alcohol Health Education
Condition: College Student Drinking
MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking in College
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 1/Phase 2

Summary: 
      Heavy episodic alcohol use within the college student population is widespread, creating
      problems for student drinkers, their peers, and their institutions. Negative consequences
      from heavy alcohol use can be mild (e.g., hangovers, missed classes), to severe (e.g.,
      assault, even death). Although online interventions targeting college student drinking reduce
      alcohol consumption and associated problems, they are not as effective as in-person
      interventions. Online interventions are cost-effective, offer privacy, reduce stigma, and may
      reach individuals who would otherwise not receive treatment.

      In a recently completed randomized, controlled trial, an emailed booster with personalized
      feedback improved the efficacy of a popular online intervention (Braitman & Henson, 2016).
      Although promising, the booster incorporated in the study needs further empirical refinement.

      The current project seeks to build on past progress by further developing and refining the
      booster. In particular, one aspect missing from online interventions is a connection with a
      person invested in improving the student's outcomes. The current study aims to generate a
      personal connection for online interventions through a follow-up booster emailed by a member
      of the research staff. Outcomes will be compared for participants who receive a follow-up
      booster with similar content, but is clearly automatically generated and not from any
      particular individual.

      There are 3 conditions: all participants receive the initial online intervention targeting
      college drinking. Condition 1 (the control group) receives an email with a reminder to
      complete the follow-up surveys, but no feedback (i.e., no booster). Condition 2 receives an
      emailed booster with normative feedback plus protective strategies feedback, clearly
      automatically generated. Condition 3 receives an emailed booster with normative feedback plus
      protective strategies feedback, from a member of the research staff. The booster content
      alone (automatically generated) may be efficacious, or the additional personal connection may
      enhance the effect.

      Thus, the aim of the current study is to examine if personal contact enhances the tailored
      feedback received via booster email.
    

Detailed description: 
      Heavy episodic alcohol use within the college student population is widespread, creating
      problems for student drinkers, their peers, and their institutions. Negative consequences
      from frequent or heavy alcohol use can be mild (e.g., hangovers, missed classes), moderate
      (e.g., poor grades, damaged relationships), or severe (e.g., assault, even death). Given the
      potentially dangerous consequences, reducing alcohol use and associated problems is a major
      health priority. Although online interventions targeting college student drinking reduce
      alcohol consumption and associated problems, they are not as effective as in-person
      interventions. The benefits of online interventions include cost-effectiveness and ease of
      administration, plus they offer privacy, reduce stigma, and may reach individuals who would
      otherwise not receive treatment.

      Although post-intervention boosters have been shown to be effective for individuals seeking
      treatment for alcohol-related injuries in emergency medical settings, limited studies have
      investigated the efficacy of boosters for college students who have received alcohol
      interventions. In a recently completed randomized, controlled trial, an emailed booster with
      personalized feedback improved the efficacy of a popular online intervention, while at the
      same time maintaining low cost and easy dissemination (Braitman & Henson, 2016). Although
      promising, the booster incorporated in the study needs further empirical refinement.

      The current project seeks to build on past progress reducing the gap between online and more
      efficacious in-person interventions. The current study further develops and refines the
      booster to identify optimal administration for maximum efficacy. In particular, one aspect
      missing from online interventions is a connection with a person invested in improving the
      student's outcomes. The current study aims to generate a personal connection for online
      interventions through a follow-up booster emailed by a member of the research staff. Outcomes
      will be compared for participants who receive a follow-up booster with similar content, but
      is clearly automatically generated and not from any particular individual.

      There are 3 conditions: all participants receive the initial online intervention targeting
      college drinking. Condition 1 (the control group) receives an email with a reminder to
      complete the follow-up surveys, but no feedback (i.e., no booster). Condition 2 receives an
      emailed booster with normative feedback plus protective strategies feedback, clearly
      automatically generated. Condition 3 receives an emailed booster with normative feedback plus
      protective strategies feedback, from a member of the research staff. The booster content
      alone (automatically generated) may be efficacious, or the additional personal connection may
      enhance the effect.

      Thus, the aim of the current study is to examine if personal contact enhances the tailored
      feedback received via booster email.

      Hypothesis 1a: Both groups receiving emailed feedback will reduce drinking and
      alcohol-related problems as compared to the intervention-only control condition.

      Hypothesis 1b: Reductions in drinking and problems will be stronger for those who receive
      emails from an individual rather than automatically generated.
    

Intervention name(s): e-checkup to go; Feedback-only booster; Feedback-plus-personal-contact booster
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The e-checkup to go substance program is designed to motivate individuals to reduce their consumption using personalized information about their own use and risk factors. The program is a combination of several components including alcohol education, personalized feedback, attitude-focused strategies, and skills training. It is self-guided and requires no face-to-face time with an administrator. It provides tailored feedback regarding quantity and frequency of alcohol use, normative comparisons, physical health information, amount and percent of income spent on alcohol, negative consequences feedback, explanation and advice for how to reach their goals, and resources.; Booster emails will contain normative feedback indicating average consumption for students at the same institution by sex, their perceptions of student drinkers at the same institution, their own reported consumption, and reminders of strategies they can use to protect themselves from alcohol-related harm. The content is clearly automatically generated.; Booster emails will contain normative feedback indicating average consumption for students at the same institution by sex, their perceptions of student drinkers at the same institution, their own reported consumption, and reminders of strategies they can use to protect themselves from alcohol-related harm. The email is sent from an individual on the research staff.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Treatment