Trial Outcomes & Findings for Text-based Alcohol Prevention for First Year College Students (NCT NCT03864237)

NCT ID: NCT03864237

Last Updated: 2025-04-16

Results Overview

Sum of standard drinks consumed on each day in a typical week over the past 30 days; scores can be as low as zero but there is no upper limit as they are counts of drinks

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

NA

Target enrollment

121 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Assessed over prior 30 days at 3 month follow-up

Results posted on

2025-04-16

Participant Flow

Eligibility was determined via an online screening survey distributed by email during the first few weeks of the fall 2018 semester to all first-year students enrolled at the university. Eligible participants were directed to an online consent form and then emailed a link to an online baseline survey.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Alcohol Texts
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms. Alcohol texts: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms.
Attention Control
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts. Attention control: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts.
Overall Study
STARTED
61
60
Overall Study
COMPLETED
61
60
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
0
0

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Text-based Alcohol Prevention for First Year College Students

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Alcohol Texts
n=61 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms. Alcohol texts: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms.
Attention Control
n=60 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts. Attention control: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts.
Total
n=121 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
n=113 Participants
0 Participants
n=163 Participants
0 Participants
n=160 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
61 Participants
n=113 Participants
60 Participants
n=163 Participants
121 Participants
n=160 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants
n=113 Participants
0 Participants
n=163 Participants
0 Participants
n=160 Participants
Age, Continuous
18.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.36 • n=113 Participants
18.1 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.30 • n=163 Participants
18.12 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.33 • n=160 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
31 Participants
n=113 Participants
30 Participants
n=163 Participants
61 Participants
n=160 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
30 Participants
n=113 Participants
30 Participants
n=163 Participants
60 Participants
n=160 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
10 Participants
n=113 Participants
9 Participants
n=163 Participants
19 Participants
n=160 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
51 Participants
n=113 Participants
51 Participants
n=163 Participants
102 Participants
n=160 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=113 Participants
0 Participants
n=163 Participants
0 Participants
n=160 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
n=113 Participants
0 Participants
n=163 Participants
0 Participants
n=160 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
13 Participants
n=113 Participants
9 Participants
n=163 Participants
22 Participants
n=160 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
n=113 Participants
0 Participants
n=163 Participants
0 Participants
n=160 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
5 Participants
n=113 Participants
5 Participants
n=163 Participants
10 Participants
n=160 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
32 Participants
n=113 Participants
38 Participants
n=163 Participants
70 Participants
n=160 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
3 Participants
n=113 Participants
4 Participants
n=163 Participants
7 Participants
n=160 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
8 Participants
n=113 Participants
4 Participants
n=163 Participants
12 Participants
n=160 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
61 participants
n=113 Participants
60 participants
n=163 Participants
121 participants
n=160 Participants
Drinks per week
11.42 drinks per week
STANDARD_DEVIATION 6.15 • n=113 Participants
12.79 drinks per week
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.13 • n=163 Participants
12.10 drinks per week
STANDARD_DEVIATION 6.66 • n=160 Participants
Alcohol-related consequences
4.95 consequences
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.87 • n=113 Participants
4.35 consequences
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.67 • n=163 Participants
4.65 consequences
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.78 • n=160 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Assessed over prior 30 days at 3 month follow-up

Sum of standard drinks consumed on each day in a typical week over the past 30 days; scores can be as low as zero but there is no upper limit as they are counts of drinks

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Alcohol Texts
n=56 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms. Alcohol texts: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms.
Attention Control
n=58 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts. Attention control: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts.
Drinks Per Week as Assessed by the Daily Drinking Questionnaire
9.55 drinks per week
Standard Deviation 6.02
10.87 drinks per week
Standard Deviation 6.24

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Assessed over prior 30 days at 3 month follow-up

The total number of alcohol-related consequences experienced over the past 30 days is measured by the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (BYAACQ), which is a checklist of 24 items; scores range from 0-24; higher numbers of items endorsed indicate more problems experienced in the past 30 days

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Alcohol Texts
n=57 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms. Alcohol texts: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms.
Attention Control
n=57 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts. Attention control: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts.
Alcohol-related Consequences as Assessed by the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire
4.44 consequences
Standard Deviation 3.52
5.32 consequences
Standard Deviation 4.08

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Assessed over prior 30 days at 3 month follow-up

self-reported frequency of using strategies to moderate drinking as reported on the Strategy Questionnaire; the Strategy Questionnaire has 3 sub scales including Selective Avoidance (0-70), Strategies While Drinking (0-100), and Alternatives to Drinking (0-40) and higher sub scale scores indicate more frequent use of those strategies

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Alcohol Texts
n=57 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms. Alcohol texts: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms.
Attention Control
n=57 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts. Attention control: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts.
Protective Behavioral Strategies as Assessed by the Strategies Questionnaire - Alternative Sub Scale
14.54 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 5.75
13.53 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 8.15

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Assessed over prior 30 days at 3 month follow-up

perceived descriptive norms are assessed using a variation on the Drinking Norms Rating Form, which asks respondents to estimate the number of standard drinks consumed by other students on campus for each day in a typical week in the past 30 days; daily estimates are summed to yield perceived number of drinks per week for student peers; range of scores can go from zero to no upper limit

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Alcohol Texts
n=57 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms. Alcohol texts: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms.
Attention Control
n=57 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts. Attention control: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts.
Perceived Descriptive Drinking Norms as Assessed by the Drinking Norms Rating Form
11.46 drinks per week
Standard Deviation 6.43
12.74 drinks per week
Standard Deviation 6.87

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Assessed over prior 30 days at 3 month follow-up

perceived injunctive norms are assessed using the Krieger et al. (2016) adaptation of the Drinking Norms Rating Form, which asks respondents to estimate the how many standard drinks is deemed acceptable by other students on campus to drink on each day in a typical week in the past 30 days; estimates are summed to yield number of drinks per week approved of by student peers; the scores can range from zero to no upper limit

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Alcohol Texts
n=57 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms. Alcohol texts: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms.
Attention Control
n=57 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts. Attention control: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts.
Perceived Injunctive Drinking Norms as Assessed by an Adaptation of the Drinking Norms Rating Form
15.72 drinks per week
Standard Deviation 8.79
16 drinks per week
Standard Deviation 8.70

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Assessed over prior 30 days at 3 month follow-up

self-reported frequency of using strategies to moderate drinking as reported on the Strategy Questionnaire; the Strategy Questionnaire has 3 sub scales including Selective Avoidance (0-70), Strategies While Drinking (0-100), and Alternatives to Drinking (0-40) and higher sub scale scores indicate more frequent use of those strategies

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Alcohol Texts
n=53 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms. Alcohol texts: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms.
Attention Control
n=54 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts. Attention control: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts.
Protective Behavioral Strategies as Assessed by the Strategies Questionnaire - Selective Avoidance Sub Scale
5.9 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 6.66
5.67 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 5.64

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Assessed over prior 30 days at 3 month follow-up

self-reported frequency of using strategies to moderate drinking as reported on the Strategy Questionnaire; the Strategy Questionnaire has 3 sub scales including Selective Avoidance (0-70), Strategies While Drinking (0-100), and Alternatives to Drinking (0-40) and higher sub scale scores indicate more frequent use of those strategies

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Alcohol Texts
n=53 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms. Alcohol texts: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing factual information about campus drinking norms.
Attention Control
n=54 Participants
Participants assigned to this arm will receive a text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts. Attention control: A text message each day for 10 weeks, containing "this day in history" facts.
Protective Behavioral Strategies as Assessed by the Strategies Questionnaire - Strategies Sub Scale
12.90 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 7.75
13.51 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 8.16

Adverse Events

Alcohol Texts

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Attention Control

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Kate B. Carey

Brown University School of Public Health

Phone: 4018636558

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place