NCT05712382

Promoting Maintenance of Change Following Brief Intervention for Alcohol Use

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 160 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Massachusetts, Amherst · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

All students who enroll in the study will receive an efficacious counselor-delivered brief motivational intervention. The intervention is based in principles of motivational interviewing. Students complete a baseline assessment on their alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. During the hour-long session, the counselor uses information from the baseline assessment to compare the student's level of alcohol consumption to that of peers at the same university, discuss choices that may lead to experiencing negative consequences, and provide opportunities for the student to set goals for risk reduction. This study will develop and pilot a maintenance enhancement intervention. The intervention is expected to consist of four components, for example: (1) Student participants may learn to use techniques based in mindfulness to cope with negative emotions. (2) Student participants may identify barriers to reducing their alcohol use and identify protective strategies for navigating those barriers. (3) Student participants may be presented with narratives from other students who successfully resumed moderate drinking after a heavy drinking episode. Students may also be prompted to identify alcohol free activities that they enjoy and can engage in after experiencing a heavy drinking episode. (4) Parents may also receive a handbook encouraging communication with their student about alcohol use.

Conditions

• Alcohol Drinking in College

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Parent handbook	Handbook motivating parents to discuss alcohol use with their college student.
BEHAVIORAL	Coping with negative emotions	Mindfulness-based techniques are taught to improve ability to cope with negative emotions.
BEHAVIORAL	Problem-solving risky situations	Identifying and planning for barriers to change are encouraged.
BEHAVIORAL	Recovering from slips	Peer and personalized techniques are discussed to facilitate resumption of moderate drinking after a heavy drinking episode.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-09-01
• Primary completion: 2027-05-01
• Completion: 2027-05-01
• First posted: 2023-02-03
• Last updated: 2025-04-15