An Animation- Versus Text-based Computer-tailored Game Intervention to Prevent Alcohol Consumption in Adolescents

University of Seville

Status: Completed

Conditions: Adolescent Behavior; Binge Drinking; Alcohol Drinking

Treatments: Behavioral: Alerta Alcohol; Behavioral: Alerta Alcohol 2.0

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04853628

University of Seville (Spain)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study consists in the design, implementation and evaluation of an animation (Alerta Alcohol 2.0)- versus text-based (Alerta Alcohol) computer-tailored game intervention aimed to prevent alcohol consumption and binge drinking (BD) in Spanish adolescents. A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (CRCT) is conducted to test the effectiveness of Alerta Alcohol versus Alerta Alcohol 2.0 in students aged 14 to 19 years across 24 high schools from Andalusia (southern Spain), which are randomized either to the experimental (EC-1, EC-2) or the control conditions (CC).

Full description

Alcohol use and misuse, and particularly, BD in adolescents are a highly prevalent healthcare problem that associates physical and mental health complications and community implications. The Alerta Alcohol and Alerta Alcohol 2.0 programs are based on the I-Change Model. A CRCT is carried out. The schools from Andalusia are randomized either to the experimental (EC-1, EC-2) or the control conditions (CC). The EC-1 receives an online intervention (Alerta Alcohol, which has adapted from a previous version) with personalized health advice, using textual feedback and several gamification techniques, and consists of nine sessions (performing seven of them at the high school): session 1 or baseline, sessions 2 and 3 where adolescents are provided with answers related to their views to provide highly specific feedback regarding their knowledge, risk perception, self-esteem, attitude, social influence and self-efficacy; sessions 4, 5, 7 and 8 are reinforcement sessions (booster sessions) and sessions 6 and 9 are follow-up questionnaires at six and twelve months. The EC-2 receives an improved version of Alerta Alcohol (Alerta Alcohol 2.0) using animated videos and new gamification strategies. The CC just completes the baseline and the evaluation questionnaires and then they are allowed to receive the intervention as well (as a waiting list). To test the effectiveness, the primary outcome is BD within 30 days prior to evaluation and alcohol use (high-intensity drinking, weekly and any consumption) in the previous week as secondary outcomes.

Enrollment: 2,625 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 14 to 19 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Students aged 14 to 19 years.
• Enrolled in Andalusian public or private high schools.
• Access to the Internet at the schools and the use of computer, mobile or tablet is allowed.
• Access to the Internet in their homes.

Exclusion criteria

• Language barriers.
• Previous participation in prevention programs for BD.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

2,625 participants in 3 patient groups

Alerta Alcohol

Experimental group

Description:

The EC-1 receives Alerta Alcohol, which consists of session 1 or baseline, two sessions in three scenarios: at home, celebrations, and public places, and two follow-up evaluations. The adolescents are provided with answers related to their views of each scenario; this information is used to provide highly specific feedback regarding their knowledge, risk perception, self-esteem, attitude, social influence (modelling, norms and social pressure), self-efficacy and action plans. In addition, four booster sessions are given at home to reinforce the contents of the three scenarios. Evaluations take place after six and twelve months.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Alerta Alcohol

Alerta Alcohol 2.0

Experimental group

Description:

The EC-2 receives an improved version of Alerta Alcohol (Alerta Alcohol 2.0) using animated videos and new gamification strategies. Evaluations take place after six and twelve months.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Alerta Alcohol 2.0

Control condition

No Intervention group

Description:

The CC just completes the baseline and the evaluation questionnaires and then they are allowed to receive the intervention as well (as a waiting list). Evaluations take place after six and twelve months from baseline.