Just-In-Time Intervention to Reduce Alcohol-Facilitated Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration

August 26, 2026 updated by: Cynthia Stappenbeck, Georgia State University

Evaluation and Optimization of a Just-in-Time Messaging Intervention to Reduce Alcohol-Facilitated Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among At-Risk Young Adult Men and Women

Acute alcohol intoxication is a robust predictor of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration for young adult men and women; therefore, interventions delivered proximally to drinking episodes - a period of high risk - are needed to reduce alcohol-facilitated IPV. This project seeks to improve public health by delivering a just-in-time text messaging intervention proximally to drinking episodes and evaluating the impact of the intervention on alcohol-facilitated IPV in a sample of at-risk young adult men and women. Additionally, through an innovative design this project is poised to answer these important questions: whether receiving a message, when, for whom, what type, and under what conditions this just-in-time messaging intervention leads to reductions in alcohol use and IPV perpetration.

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

400

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • United States
    • Georgia
      • Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30303
        • Georgia State University

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 30 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 18-30 years old
  • Consumed alcohol an average of 2 times per week in last 3 months
  • At least two instances of heavy episodic drinking in last month
  • Currently in a romantic relationship
  • History of IPV perpetration within last 3 months
  • Willing to provide cell phone number and carrier and receive text messages for 30 days

Exclusion Criteria:

  • None

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention
Participants in this arm will receive the RELATE intervention.
Behavioral: Alcohol Skills and Emotion Regulation Intervention
The text-based intervention will provide alcohol reduction strategies and emotion regulation skills.
Active Comparator: Attention Control
Participants in this arm will receive supportive control messages.
Other: Attention Control
Text-messages will be sent that include no intervention content to serve as an attention control

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Alcohol Use
Time Frame: 30 days
Drinking Quantity (number of drinks consumed)
30 days
Alcohol Use
Time Frame: 1-month follow-up
Drinking Quantity (number of drinks consumed)
1-month follow-up
Alcohol Use
Time Frame: 3-month follow-up
Drinking Quantity (number of drinks consumed)
3-month follow-up
Alcohol Use
Time Frame: 6-month follow-up
Drinking Quantity (number of drinks consumed)
6-month follow-up
Intimate Partner Violence
Time Frame: 30 days
Occurrence (yes/no) of psychological or physical Aggression against an intimate partner
30 days
Intimate Partner Violence
Time Frame: 1-month follow-up
Frequency of Psychological or Physical Aggression against an intimate partner
1-month follow-up
Intimate Partner Violence
Time Frame: 3-month follow-up
Frequency of Psychological or Physical Aggression against an intimate partner
3-month follow-up
Intimate Partner Violence
Time Frame: 6-month follow-up
Frequency of Psychological or Physical Aggression against an intimate partner
6-month follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Georgia State University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Cynthia Stappenbeck, PhD, Georgia State University

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 (Actual)

January 3, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

November 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 11, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 23, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

December 6, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 27, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 26, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SP00014947

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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