Brief Academic Future Thinking Intervention for College Student Drinkers

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The present study investigated the feasibility, acceptability, and initial utility of a brief academic goal-relevant episodic future thinking (A-EFT) task among heavy college drinkers. First, the study attempts to extend the temporal reach of EFT interventions which have demonstrated immediate reductions in discounting, and alcohol demand. The current study utilized a longitudinal design to evaluate whether EFT can change drinking behavior outside the lab in heavy drinking college students. The two-group experimental design included an active control group, weekly booster contact, and 1-month follow-up. Second, this study seeks to investigate whether the process of engaging in EFT is sufficient to produce effects when cues are not presented during the decision-making task. Lastly, this study adds an academic goal-related focus to the EFT task based on previous research indicating that forming meaningful academic goals is protective against drinking and associated problems.

Official Title
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Episodic Future Thinking as a Brief Alcohol Intervention for Heavy Drinking College Students: A Pilot Feasibility Study

Conditions
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Heavy Drinking

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Academic Episodic Future Thinking
* Other: Vivid Memory Task


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Full-time Freshman/Sophomore Student 2+ Recent heavy drinking episodes (4/5 standard drinks in one sitting for men/women) Exclusion Criteria: Current or past substance abuse treatment Current moderate/severe depressive symptoms

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 25 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Experimental: Episodic Future Thinking<br> | Behavioral: Academic Episodic Future Thinking<br>* Brief Academic goal related EFT intervention involving desirable outcomes of current academic goals<br>|
| Active Comparator: Control: Vivid Memory Task<br> | Other: Vivid Memory Task<br>* Matched for time control task involving recall of vivid memories of distinct events/actions from a children's story<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Daily Drinking Questionnaire | Indicate how many standard drinks were consumed on each day of a typical week in the past month | Baseline | 
| Daily Drinking Questionnaire | Indicate how many standard drinks were consumed on each day of a typical week in the past month | 1-month post | 
| Alcohol-Related Consequences | Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire - Indicate yes or no to experiencing each alcohol-related consequences in the past month | Baseline | 
| Alcohol-Related Consequences | Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire - Indicate yes or no to experiencing each alcohol-related consequences in the past month | 1-month post | 
| Alcohol Demand | Alcohol Purchase Task - Indicate hypothetical alcohol purchase behavior at a variety of price points | Baseline | 
| Alcohol Demand | Alcohol Purchase Task - Indicate hypothetical alcohol purchase behavior at a variety of price points | Post-session - immediately after intervention;control | 
| Alcohol Demand | Alcohol Purchase Task - Indicate hypothetical alcohol purchase behavior at a variety of price points | 1-month post | 
| Delayed Reward Discounting | 5-Choice Minute Discounting task - Indicate preference for various choices of immediate small vs. larger delayed rewards | Baseline | 
| Delayed Reward Discounting | 5-Choice Minute Discounting task - Indicate preference for various choices of immediate small vs. larger delayed rewards | Post-session - immediately after intervention/control | 
| Delayed Reward Discounting | 5-Choice Minute Discounting task - Indicate preference for various choices of immediate small vs. larger delayed rewards | 1-month post | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Protective Behavioral Strategies | Indicate frequency of use of each protective strategy on a 1-6 Likert-type scale (1 = Never, 6 = Always) | Baseline | 
| Protective Behavioral Strategies | Indicate frequency of use of each protective strategy on a 1-6 Likert-type scale (1 = Never, 6 = Always) | 1-month post | 
| Academic Engagement | Single item assessing time spent studying during the past week | Baseline | 
| Academic Engagement | Single item assessing time spent studying during the past week | 1-month post |