Examining the Effectiveness of Dynamic Visual Noise (DVN) for Reducing Alcohol Cravings and Consumption in College Students

NCT ID: NCT07157124

Last Updated: 2025-12-29

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

62 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-09-22

Study Completion Date

2026-09-30

Brief Summary

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The goal of this clinical trial is to examine whether dynamic visual noise (DVN), a short video array of rapidly moving black and white squares, reduces cravings for and consumption of alcohol in college students who drink alcohol and experience cravings for alcohol at least once a week on average. A second goal of this clinical trial is to examine whether changes in attentional bias towards alcohol (that is, the tendency to pay greater mental and visual attention towards alcohol over other things in one's environment) is a mechanism by which DVN reduces alcohol cravings and consumption.

Researchers will compare DVN to static visual noise (SVN), which is a still image of black and white squares that has been used as a control condition for DVN in prior literature.

Participants will:

1. Visit the laboratory once to complete the baseline data collection
2. Watch the DVN or SVN every day for seven days (including the day of the laboratory visit)
3. Complete daily follow-ups for six days following the day of the laboratory visit
4. Complete a final follow-up on the seventh day following the laboratory visit

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Craving Alcohol Drinking

Keywords

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alcohol craving dynamic visual noise alcohol consumption attentional bias craving alcohol DVN static visual noise SVN

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants will be block randomized by sex into one of the two arms.
Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Dynamic Visual Noise (DVN)

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Dynamic Visual Noise (DVN)

Intervention Type OTHER

DVN is a brief visual array of patterns of flickering black and white dots. In alignment with prior literature, the DVN array will consist of an 80 x 80 grid of 4 x 4 black and white pixel squares that will change at a rate of 640 frames per second. The DVN will be 30 seconds in duration, though participants will be able to keep watching for as long as desired by restarting the video of the array.

Static Visual Noise (SVN)

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Static Visual Noise (SVN)

Intervention Type OTHER

SVN is similar to DVN, but refers to a static (or still) image of an array of black and white squares. The SVN will consist of an 80 x 80 grid of 4 x 4 black and white pixel squares. SVN has been used in previous working memory-loading studies as a control for DVN. Similar to the DVN, participants in the control group will view the SVN for at least 30 seconds (but they will be able to keep viewing it for as long as desired).

Interventions

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Dynamic Visual Noise (DVN)

DVN is a brief visual array of patterns of flickering black and white dots. In alignment with prior literature, the DVN array will consist of an 80 x 80 grid of 4 x 4 black and white pixel squares that will change at a rate of 640 frames per second. The DVN will be 30 seconds in duration, though participants will be able to keep watching for as long as desired by restarting the video of the array.

Intervention Type OTHER

Static Visual Noise (SVN)

SVN is similar to DVN, but refers to a static (or still) image of an array of black and white squares. The SVN will consist of an 80 x 80 grid of 4 x 4 black and white pixel squares. SVN has been used in previous working memory-loading studies as a control for DVN. Similar to the DVN, participants in the control group will view the SVN for at least 30 seconds (but they will be able to keep viewing it for as long as desired).

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Must report being between the age of 18 and 29
2. Must report drinking alcohol at least once per week on average over the past month
3. Must report having drank beer or alcoholic seltzers in the past month
4. Must endorse experiencing craving at least once per week over the past month, on average
5. Must report not currently receiving nor planning to seek any other treatment for their alcohol use within the next 30 days
6. Must report owning a personal electronic device with access to the Internet
7. Must report owning or having access to a computer with access to the Internet

Exclusion Criteria

1. Major visual impairment (i.e., legal blindness or color blindness)
2. History of seizures and/or diagnosed seizure disorder
3. Current medical diagnosis provided by a qualified professional (i.e., psychologist, psychiatrist, neurologist) that is characterized by cognitive impairment (i.e., neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury, traumatic brain injury, HIV infection, post-concussive syndrome, and intellectual disability)
4. Concussion in the past month
5. A current diagnosis of any substance use disorder besides alcohol use disorder, as determined by a qualified professional (i.e., psychologist, psychiatrist)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

29 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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University of Wyoming

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Emma Winterlind

Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Emma Winterlind, MPS

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 307-314-2177

Email: [email protected]

Alison Looby, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Emma L Winterlind, MPS

Role: primary

Alison Looby, PhD

Role: backup

Other Identifiers

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IRB-2025-162

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id