This study will be the first to test a web-based alcohol risk reduction intervention to reach community-dwelling emerging adults using behavioral economic principles and digital respondent-driven sampling.
The 5-year project is funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, and the Principal Investigator is Professor Jalie A. Tucker, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Many studies have been conducted to test interventions for full-time college students that are risky drinkers. However, the needs of their peers who are not full-time college students that live in disadvantaged communities are under-researched. This randomized, controlled trial will address the needs of these under-studied emerging adults by evaluating an evidence-based behavioral intervention. The goal of the intervention is to increase the extent to which participants think about the future and engage in pro-social alternatives to drinking. The intervention will be delivered using a peer-driven sampling method on a digital platform that can easily reach participants’ social networks.
This study aims to: (1) Evaluate intervention efficacy, which is predicted to reduce risky drinking and negative alcohol-related consequences. (2) Evaluate intervention change mechanisms and boundary conditions. (3) Use a network ego approach to assess how network members are arranged around each participant and how network features are associated with participant drinking.
