Clinical trial NCT06191861: Narrative Writing to Promote Healthy Decisions About Alcohol During the Transition Out of High School
Official title: Evaluating Narrative Writing as a Potential Intervention to Promote Healthy Decisions About Alcohol During the Transition Out of High School
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Alcohol Use, Unspecified
Keywords: drinking identity
developmental transitions
high school
alcohol misuse
Lead sponsor: University of Washington
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
First posted: 2024-01-05
Enrollment: 528
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 17
Maximum age (years): 19
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: FACTORIAL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

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 highly school, 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-high school transition.

The goal of this clinical trial is to test the future possible self task (FPST) in individuals who are about to graduate from high school.

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.

Detailed description: This study will evaluate changes in drinking identity and changes in drinking during the transition out of high school in a sample of 528 soon-to-graduate or recently graduated high school seniors via the future possible self task (FPST). We will test whether an adapted version of the FPST can induce change in drinking identity and reduce risk of alcohol misuse. The study will have a 2 (write about future desired self in relation to drinking vs. no), x 2 (write about future feared self in relation to drinking vs. no) x 2 (write 1x only vs.1x per week for 3 weeks) design. Participants will be randomly assigned to a condition. The study will occur entirely online, with virtual baseline and intervention sessions hosted by a research assistant and with online surveys for the 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Participants, who report at least some alcohol consumption and some interest interest in changing or not increasing their drinking, will be recruited, in equal numbers, from two sites -- one at the University of Washington and one at the University of Houston. Participants will be recruited in two waves (264 each wave, with 132 from each site during each wave).

The study will test for changes in drinking identity (primary), in indicators of alcohol misuse (primary \& secondary), and in associated risk factors (secondary; changes in self-efficacy, identification with future self, and craving at baseline, 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Senior in high school and expecting to graduate at the end of the academic year or individuals who recently (i.e., within the past three months) graduated high school or earned a GED
* Between the ages of 17-19
* Currently reside in WA State (UW Site) or State of Texas (UH Site)
* Fluent in English
* Willing to attend three weekly virtual laboratory sessions (hosted on Zoom)
* Willing to provide contact information, including phone number (for text messages and reminders), email (reminders), and mailing address (payment)
* Has consumed alcohol at least 1 time in last year
* Reports at least some interest in NOT increasing one's drinking or at least some interest in reducing drinking

Exclusion Criteria:

* N/A

Primary outcomes:
measure: Explicit drinking identity
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
measure: Implicit drinking identity
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline,post-intervention, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
measure: Drinks per week
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
measure: Peak drinks per month
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
measure: Typical drinks per occasion
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
measure: Alcohol-related problems
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Risk of Alcohol Use Disorder
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline and at 12-month follow-up
measure: Alcohol Craving - Momentary
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline and 2 weeks after baseline
measure: Alcohol Craving - Retrospective
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
measure: Alcohol Expectancies
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
measure: Drinking Motives
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
measure: Social Norms
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
measure: Identification with Future Self
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
measure: Readiness to Change
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
measure: Drinking Refusal Self-efficacy
timeFrame: Will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, 1-month follow up, 3-month follow up, 6 month-follow up, & 12-month follow up
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Houston
country: United States
facility: University of Houston
state: Texas
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Washington
name: Kristen Lindgren, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: