Narrative Writing to Promote Healthy Decisions About Alcohol During the Transition Out of High School

University of Washington

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Alcohol Use, Unspecified

Treatments

Behavioral: Balanced future self

Behavioral: Most feared future self

Behavioral: Most hoped for future self

Behavioral: Control (trip to zoo)

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

NIH

Identifiers

NCT06191861

R01AA030750 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

STUDY00017212

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Full 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

Enrollment

468 estimated patients

Sex

All

Ages

17 to 19 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

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

Trial design

Primary purpose

Prevention

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Factorial Assignment

Masking

Double Blind

468 participants in 8 patient groups, including a placebo group

Most hoped for future self, 3 dose

Experimental group

Description:

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most hoped for future self, weekly for 3 weeks (i.e., at each session).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Most hoped for future self

Most hoped future self, 1 dose

Experimental group

Description:

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most hoped for future self one time (on the third session).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Most hoped for future self

Most feared future self, 3 dose

Experimental group

Description:

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most feared future self, weekly for 3 weeks (i.e., at each session).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Most feared future self

Most feared future self, 1 dose

Experimental group

Description:

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most feared future self one time (on the third session).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Most feared future self

Balanced self (hoped and feared self), 3 dose

Experimental group

Description:

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most hoped for and feared future self, weekly for 3 weeks (i.e., at each session).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Balanced future self

Balanced self (hoped and feared self), 1 dose

Experimental group

Description:

Participants complete a writing task in which they think and write about their most hoped for and feared future self one time (on the third session).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Balanced future self

Control, 3 dose

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Participants in this condition complete a task in which they think and write about a trip to the zoo weekly for 3 weeks (i.e., at each session).