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Decreasing the Temporal Window in Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorder

NCT ID: NCT04128761

Last Updated: 2025-12-17

Study Results

Results available

Outcome measurements, participant flow, baseline characteristics, and adverse events have been published for this study.

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

124 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-09-21

Study Completion Date

2024-05-28

Brief Summary

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In the absence of sufficient monetary resources, individuals must attend to immediate, minimum needs (e.g., food, shelter). This constricts one's temporal window and engenders neglect of the future. In observational studies, scarcity is associated with higher rates of delay discounting. Additionally, socioeconomic status is inversely associated with alcohol use disorder and related problems. Experimentally, scarcity shortens attention, impedes cognitive function, and increases delay discounting in multiple populations. Moreover, scarcity increases demand for fast foods in the obese and increases craving for alcohol in problem drinkers. These data suggest that economic scarcity worsens both components of reinforcer pathology (delay discounting and alcohol overvaluation), thus increasing vulnerability to alcohol use disorder. However, studies investigating the effects of scarcity on alcohol demand discounting rate have been limited. The purpose of Aim 1b is to examine effects of decreasing the temporal window and its concomitant effects on alcohol valuation (demand, and craving) and delay discounting.

Detailed Description

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Participants will be randomly assigned to experimental or control groups, balanced by discounting rates and sex. We plan to have 112 participants complete the study, based on our power analysis. Participants will complete two online sessions. During the first session, they will complete the baseline assessments. During the second session, they will complete the same assessments after being exposed to the scarcity or control narratives (both in audio format).

The assessment will include delay discounting and demand tasks, and measures of alcohol craving. Participants will also complete assessments of their stress and mood response to the narrative intervention, using the Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM) for two purposes. That is, 1) to monitor participant safety, 2) to measure the mediating ability of affect on changes in the temporal window.

Conditions

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Alcohol Use Disorder

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants

Study Groups

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Scarcity Narrative

Participants assigned to the scarcity group will be asked to listen and consider a hypothetical narrative about a sudden loss of resources.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Scarcity Narrative

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants are presented with a hypothetical scarcity narrative and asked to listen and consider the scenario.

Neutral Narrative

Participants assigned to the neutral group will be asked to listen and consider a hypothetical narrative about a neutral change in resources.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Neutral Narrative

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants are presented with a hypothetical neutral narrative and asked to listen and consider the scenario.

Interventions

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Scarcity Narrative

Participants are presented with a hypothetical scarcity narrative and asked to listen and consider the scenario.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Neutral Narrative

Participants are presented with a hypothetical neutral narrative and asked to listen and consider the scenario.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* High-risk or harmful drinking (AUDIT\>15)
* 21 years of age or older
* Desire to quit or cut down on their drinking, but do not have proximate plans to enroll in treatment for AUD during the study period

Exclusion Criteria

* having a current unmanaged psychotic disorder
* reporting current pregnancy or lactation
* having dementia
Minimum Eligible Age

21 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

McMaster University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Arizona State University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Carilion Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Kentucky

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Stephen LaConte

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Stephen M LaConte, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC

Locations

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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC

Roanoke, Virginia, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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R01AA027381-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

#23-621

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id