Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of this study is to evaluate effectiveness of scalable, tailored text- messaging programs for alcohol use among older adults. This study focuses on gain and loss framing of behavior change goals (i.e., the positives of change and the negatives of remaining with the status quo), critical components of behavioral science and health behavioral interventions. Loss-framing is used to motivate individuals to avoid future problems by focusing on the consequences of no change in behavior, and gain-framing is used to facilitate progress by focusing on the benefits of change. The investigators will design and evaluate three text-messaging programs using a randomized controlled trial: (A) Loss-framed messaging (B) Gain-framed messaging; and (C) Combined (loss and gain) messaging among a sample of 150 older adults with hazardous drinking. Participants will be randomized to one of the three conditions, each of which will include 8 weeks of text-messaging. During the study participants will completed assessments online and via text messages to track drinking.


Clinical Trial Description

There is an urgent call for efficient and effective assessment, prevention, and intervention among older adults (age 50 and older) to reduce health risk of hazardous drinking, encourage healthy aging, and reduce burden on healthcare systems. Brief, low-burden, low-cost, digital interventions among older adults can answer this call. Text-messaging health interventions are considered an effective, scalable way to deliver behavioral health interventions, and they have been used as evidence-based solutions in primary care settings among older adults for behaviors other than alcohol use to supplement traditional care. Contrary to stereotypes, older adults use mobile technology, seek online and mobile interventions, and often engage longer compared to younger populations. The primary objective of the proposed study is to evaluate effectiveness of scalable, tailored text- messaging programs for alcohol use among older adults. This study focuses on gain and loss framing of behavior change goals (i.e., the positives of change and the negatives of remaining with the status quo), critical components of behavioral science and health behavioral interventions. Loss-framing is used to motivate individuals to avoid future problems by focusing on the consequences of no change in behavior, and gain-framing is used to facilitate progress by focusing on the benefits of change. The investigators will design and evaluate three text-messaging programs using a randomized controlled trial: (A) Loss-framed messaging (B) Gain-framed messaging; and (C) Combined (loss and gain) messaging among a sample of 150 older adults with hazardous drinking. Participants will be randomized to one of the three conditions, each of which will last 8 weeks. Participants will undergo cross- sectional online assessments (baseline, week 4, week 8 and week 16), and they will also complete a mobile assessment (via text message) once per week to track drinking. The effects of condition on drinking behavior will be compared at weeks 4, 8 and 16. In addition, attrition from the study will be closely tracked. Finally, the investigators will explore how the effects condition are impacted by gender and age (via moderation analysis). ;


Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT06126107
Study type Interventional
Source Hunter College of City University of New York
Contact Alexis Kuerbis, LCSW, PhD
Phone 9173017903
Email ak1465@hunter.cuny.edu
Status Recruiting
Phase N/A
Start date February 26, 2024
Completion date September 1, 2024

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Completed NCT05037630 - Feasibility Evaluation of a Self-guided Digital Tool for Problematic Alcohol Use N/A
Completed NCT03037749 - Over-arousal as a Mechanism Between Alcohol and Intimate Partner Violence N/A
Enrolling by invitation NCT02927132 - Guilt and Expressive Writing for Reducing Alcohol Use in College Students N/A
Completed NCT02905123 - Brief Internet Intervention for Hazardous Alcohol Use N/A
Enrolling by invitation NCT02952495 - Online Education to Inform the Elderly About Age-related Alcohol Risks Phase 2
Completed NCT01923246 - Development of IVR and WEB Alcohol Interventions N/A
Completed NCT01129804 - Network Support for Alcohol Treatment 2 N/A
Completed NCT00374153 - Southern Methodist Alcohol Research Trial (SMART) N/A
Completed NCT01126164 - Parent Intervention to Reduce Binge Drinking N/A
Completed NCT00383838 - Self-Selected Brief Alcohol Intervention for Adolescents N/A
Completed NCT03408743 - Engineering an Online STI Prevention Program: CSE2 N/A
Recruiting NCT04957628 - AlcoTail - Implementation of Tailored Interventions
Recruiting NCT04164940 - Patient Trajectories for Older Adults Admitted to Hospital for Alcohol-related Problems
Completed NCT00292240 - Brief Youth Substance Use Intervention for Primary Care N/A
Completed NCT04804579 - Boston ARCH 4F Intervention to Reduce Fall Risk in People With HIV and Alcohol Use N/A
Completed NCT02387489 - A Clinical Trial of SBIRT Services in School-based Health Centers N/A
Completed NCT02188446 - Intensive Smoking and Alcohol Cessation Intervention in Bladder Cancer Surgery Patients N/A
Completed NCT01688245 - A Text Message Behavioral Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Consumption in Young Adults N/A
Withdrawn NCT01739842 - Kudzu Effects on Brain Ethanol Levels: Proton Spectroscopy Assessment Phase 2/Phase 3
Completed NCT00561587 - Quetiapine vs. Placebo in Alcohol Relapse Prevention - a Pilot Study Phase 2