Messages That Motivate: Communicating Alcohol-Related Breast Cancer Risk to Young Adult Women (MEMO)

September 2, 2026 updated by: Darren Mays, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
This is an online cross-sectional experimental survey study examining two cancer communication questions: 1) What features of social media messages communicating the breast cancer risks from alcohol consumption will motivate young adult women to drink less? and 2) Do message features differ in their persuasive effects based on young adult women's alcohol consumption behavior?

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This is an online cross-sectional experimental study to examine the effects of features of social media messages in young adult women ages 18-25 who drink alcohol based on valid, self-report outcomes. Within the survey, participants will be randomized to view messages in one of nine conditions in a 3x3 factorial design with baseline alcohol consumption as a within-participants factor to test the effects of social media message features (content, persuasive themes) on participant responses. We will also compare the effects of message features for young women who drink within recommended limits (1 drink/day or less on average) and those who exceed recommended drinking limits.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
900

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Ohio
      • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210
        • The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Darren Mays, MPH, PhD
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Assigned female at birth
  • Age 18-25
  • Report drinking alcohol at least once in the past 30 days
  • Registered in the United States as a member of the Prolific consumer research platform
  • Willing and able to complete procedures in English

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Assigned male at birth
  • Ages <18 or >25
  • Do not report drinking alcohol at least once in the past 30 days
  • Not registered in the U.S. as a member of the Prolific consumer research platform
  • Not willing or not able to complete procedures

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Arm 1: Risk Only + Industry Deception
Behavioral: Risk Message
Risk message content
Behavioral: Industry Deception
Messages with information about alcohol industry deception
Experimental: Arm 2: Risk Only + YAW Susceptibility
Behavioral: Risk Message
Risk message content
Behavioral: YAW Susceptibility
Message content with information about why young adult women are susceptible to breast cancer risk from alcohol consumption
Experimental: Arm 3: Risk Only + Mechanisms
Behavioral: Risk Message
Risk message content
Behavioral: Mechanisms
Message content with information about the mechanism by which alcohol contributes to increased breast cancer risk
Experimental: Arm 4: Efficacy Only + Industry Deception
Behavioral: Industry Deception
Messages with information about alcohol industry deception
Behavioral: Efficacy Message
Efficacy Message Content
Experimental: Arm 5: Efficacy Only + YAW Susceptibility
Behavioral: YAW Susceptibility
Message content with information about why young adult women are susceptible to breast cancer risk from alcohol consumption
Behavioral: Efficacy Message
Efficacy Message Content
Experimental: Arm 6: Efficacy Only + Mechanisms
Behavioral: Mechanisms
Message content with information about the mechanism by which alcohol contributes to increased breast cancer risk
Behavioral: Efficacy Message
Efficacy Message Content
Experimental: Arm 7: Risk and Efficacy + Industry Deception
Behavioral: Risk Message
Risk message content
Behavioral: Industry Deception
Messages with information about alcohol industry deception
Behavioral: Efficacy Message
Efficacy Message Content
Experimental: Arm 8: Risk and Efficacy + YAW Susceptibility
Behavioral: Risk Message
Risk message content
Behavioral: YAW Susceptibility
Message content with information about why young adult women are susceptible to breast cancer risk from alcohol consumption
Behavioral: Efficacy Message
Efficacy Message Content
Experimental: Arm 9: Risk and Efficacy + Mechanisms
Behavioral: Risk Message
Risk message content
Behavioral: Mechanisms
Message content with information about the mechanism by which alcohol contributes to increased breast cancer risk
Behavioral: Efficacy Message
Efficacy Message Content

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Message Perceptions
Time Frame: This assessment is administered immediately after participants view study messages on Day 1

We will assess message perceptions using a valid, reliable measure with six questions about whether participants thought the messages were worth remembering, grabbed their attention, and were informative, powerful, convincing, and meaningful. Responses are on a five-point Likert scale from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 5 (Strongly agree).

For all message response outcomes, we will sum and average responses to the items to create message-level scores, then compute means across both messages within each condition for a grand mean. Higher values are considered a better outcome.
This assessment is administered immediately after participants view study messages on Day 1
Effect Perceptions
Time Frame: This assessment is administered immediately after participants view study messages on Day 1
We will capture message effects perceptions using the abbreviated effects perceptions scale. Items include questions about how much the messages made them feel discouraged to drink alcohol, concerned about drinking alcohol, and made them feel that drinking alcohol is unpleasant on a scale from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 5 (Strongly agree). For all message response outcomes, we will sum and average responses to the items to create message-level scores, then compute means across both messages within each condition for a grand mean. Higher values are considered a better outcome.
This assessment is administered immediately after participants view study messages on Day 1
Emotional Response
Time Frame: This assessment is administered immediately after participants view study messages on Day 1
We will capture emotional responses to the messages using a valid, four item scale. Items are "This message made me angry; irritated; aggravated; and annoyed" with responses on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (Not likely at all) to 5 (Extremely likely). For all message response outcomes, we will sum and average responses to the items to create message-level scores, then compute means across both messages within each condition for a grand mean. Higher values are considered a better outcome.
This assessment is administered immediately after participants view study messages on Day 1
Counter-arguing
Time Frame: This assessment is administered immediately after participants view study messages on Day 1
We will capture counter-arguing, a measure of whether participants cognitively refute messages, with a valid, three item scale that captures whether participants criticize messages, think of points that go against messages, and are skeptical of the messages. Responses are on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Not at all) to 7 (Very much). For all message response outcomes, we will sum and average responses to the items to create message-level scores, then compute means across both messages within each condition for a grand mean. Lower values are considered a better outcome.
This assessment is administered immediately after participants view study messages on Day 1
Behavioral Intentions
Time Frame: This assessment is administered immediately after participants view study messages on Day 1
Intentions to reduce alcohol consumption in the future will also be assessed with a valid, multi-item scale capturing whether participants will avoid drinking alcohol completely, reduce the number of occasions when they drink alcohol, and reduce the amount of alcohol they consume on drinking occasions with a 1 (Definitely Will Not) to 4 (Definitely Will) response scale. For all message response outcomes, we will sum and average responses to the items to create message-level scores, then compute means across both messages within each condition for a grand mean. Higher values are considered a better outcome.
This assessment is administered immediately after participants view study messages on Day 1

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Darren Mays, MPH, PhD, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 30, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 28, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 2, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 3, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 3, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 2, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • OSU-26048
  • R01CA311193-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

De-identified individual participant data from self-report measures will be deposited in the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). ICPSR will make the research data from this project available to the broader social science research community as public-use data files. These files, in which direct and indirect identifiers have been removed to minimize disclosure risk, may be accessed directly through the ICPSR website.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

The research data from this project will be supplied to ICPSR at the time of publication of the relevant results or at the end of the project period, whichever is sooner, so that any issues surrounding the usability of the data can be resolved. Delayed dissemination may be possible. The Delayed Dissemination Policy allows for data to be deposited but not disseminated for an agreed-upon period (typically one year).

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

After agreeing to Terms of Use, users with an ICPSR MyData account and an authorized IP address from a member institution may download the data, and non-members may purchase the files.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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