Testing a Novel Instagram Intervention for Heavy Alcohol Use

Testing a Novel Instagram Intervention for Heavy Alcohol Use: A Randomized Controlled

This project aims to test the efficacy of an Instagram-based intervention for reducing heavy alcohol use. More specifically, the investigators will use a randomized controlled design to analyze differences in alcohol use and alcohol-related outcomes (e.g., alcohol-related consequences, etc.) as well as differences in the use of protective behavioral strategies and mindfulness practices. Participants (80 Prolific users who report binge drinking) will be randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: intervention or control. Those who are randomized to the intervention condition will be invited to follow study Instagram pages, and those who are randomized to the control condition will be invited to complete the assessments only. The investigators hypothesize that there will be greater reductions in alcohol use, frequency, and consequences and greater frequency of use of mindfulness exercises and protective behavioral strategies among those in the intervention condition as compared to those in the control condition.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Heavy Drinking
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Instagram Intervention

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 80
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Halle Thomas, M.A.; Phone Number: 734-883-2669; Email: halle.a.thomas@wayne.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Michigan
    • Detroit, Michigan, United States, 48202
      • Wayne State University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ages 18-30
• Report regular Instagram usage (i.e., at least a few times a week)
• Report having met the NIAAA's criteria for a binge-drinking episode (4+ drinks in a sitting for cisgender women, 5+ drinks in a sitting for all other genders) at least twice a month for the past three month

Exclusion Criteria:

• No exclusion criteria

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control
Experimental: Instagram Intervention	Behavioral: Instagram Intervention; The intervention consists of a study Instagram page, which will post intervention content every day for 42 days.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Frequency of Past-month Alcohol Use Using the Computer-Administered Timeline Follow-Back	The investigators will analyze differences in the amount of days spent drinking.	Given pre-intervention and at 10-week follow-up
Change in Quantity of Past-month Alcohol Use Using the Computer-Administered Timeline Follow-Back	The investigators will analyze differences in amount of past-month alcohol use and the amount of past-month binge-drinking episodes.	Given pre-intervention and at 10-week follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Frequency of Protective Behavioral Strategy Use Using the Protective Drinking Practices Scale	The investigators will analyze the difference in frequency of recent protective behavioral strategy use using the Protective Drinking Practices Scale (minimum score = 20, maximum score = 120, and higher scores indicate a better outcome).	Given pre-intervention and at 10-week follow-up
Change in the Amount of Recent Alcohol Consequences Using the Brief Young Adult Consequences Scale	The investigators will analyze the difference in amount of consequences related to alcohol use using the Brief Young Adult Consequences Scale (minimum score = 0, maximum score = 24, and higher scores indicate a worse outcome).	Given pre-intervention and at 10-week follow-up
Change in Frequency of Mindfulness Practice Use Using the Mindfulness Awareness Scale	The investigators will analyze the difference in frequency of use of mindfulness practices using the Mindfulness Awareness Scale (minimum score = 15, maximum score = 90, and higher scores indicate a better outcome).	Given pre-intervention and at 10-week follow-up
Change in Readiness to Change Drinking Behavior Using the Readiness to Change Questionnaire	The investigators will analyze the difference in reported readiness to change drinking behavior using the Readiness to Change Questionnaire (minimum score = 12, maximum score = 84, and higher scores indicate a better outcome).	Given pre-intervention and at 10-week follow-up
Participant Subjective Reactions Using Likert Scales	The investigators will ask participants to rate the intervention content on acceptability dimensions created specifically for this study (i.e., relevance, empathy, interest, helpfulness, respectfulness, personalization). On a given domain, minimum score = 1, maximum score = 5, and higher scores indicate better outcomes.	Given at 10-week follow-up
Participant Subjective Reactions Using Simple Yes/No Questions	The investigators will ask participants to rate how the intervention has qualitatively impacted them using simple yes/no questions (i.e., if they remember seeing certain posts, if the posts made them think about their drinking, affected their sense of community, etc.).	Given at 10-week follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Emily Grekin

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): May 20, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 10, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 14, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): May 17, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 17, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 14, 2024
• Last Verified: May 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Drinking Behavior; Alcohol Drinking
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB-23-11-6344

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No