Overview
The goal of the proposed study is to examine whether brief training in regulation of craving (ROC-T) affects alcohol drinking. The study will consist of a basic screening (phone and online), and in person visit to determine eligibility and conduct pre-intervention baseline assessments, 1-4 training (ROC-T) visits, a post-intervention assessment visit, and 1-2 phone/online follow up assessments.The two active conditions of ROC-T are based on cognitive-behavioral treatments (CBT) and mindfulness-based treatments (MBT).
Description
This is a Stage 1B Randomized-Controlled Trial (RCT). 177 heavy drinking young adult participants will be randomized to 4 x 45-minute web-based sessions of (1) CBT-ROC-T training, (2) MBT-ROC-T, or (3) CONTROL (no strategy) delivered over three weeks. Participants will be enrolled for 16 weeks (three weeks pre-, three weeks during, and ten weeks post-intervention).
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
(1) Young adults ages 18-26 years, who (2) report ≥ 3 heavy drinking days (i.e., heavy
drinking defined by >3 drinks for women, >4 drinks for men) in the prior month; (3) are
motivated to quit or reduce drinking; (4) are fluent in English and have a 6th grade or
higher reading level; (5) have access to a computer with working internet; (6) use a
working smartphone; (7) can commit to the full length of the protocol; and (8) are willing
to be randomized to intervention condition.
Exclusion Criteria:
(1) Current (past 12 months) clinically-severe alcohol use disorder (AUD; e.g., history of
seizures, delirium, or hallucinations during withdrawal) or current severe alcohol
withdrawal; (2) Current (past 12 months) clinically-severe substance use disorder (except
tobacco) or current severe drug withdrawal; (3) serious other psychiatric illness by
history or examination; (4) severe or unstable physical disease within the past 6 months;
(5) psychoactive medications (e.g., mood stabilizers) that have not been at a stable dose
unless determined to be on a stable dose of medication by the study psychiatrist; (6)
current use of any investigational medication; (7) color blindness; (8) biological females
who are pregnant; and (9) notable dislike to any particular type of alcoholic beverage
depicted in study stimuli; (10) Participants who will not complete at least 70% of past day
EMA reports in the pre-intervention phase will not be randomized; (11) Participants who
cannot understand or follow study-related instructions (e.g., unable to correctly use the
intervention strategies, indicate lack of understanding of study instructions despite
multiple attempts).