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Alcohol ConsumptionSMASHNCT05608109

A Social Media Personalized Normative Feedback Intervention for Heavy Drinking College Students

A study testing Alcohol personalized normative feedback (APNF) and Social media personalized normative feedback (SMPNF) in people with Alcohol Consumption, run by Duquesne University at 3 sites in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study seeks to evaluate the unique and synergistic efficacy of social media-specific personalized normative feedback targeting the reduction of alcohol use among heavy-drinking college students who post alcohol-related content on social media. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 26 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Alcohol Consumption
What is being tested?
Alcohol personalized normative feedback (APNF) and Social media personalized normative feedback (SMPNF)
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
401 participants
Where
3 sitesUnited States
Study dates
9 Jan 2022to 28 Dec 2024
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 26 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • College students recruited across three universities: Duquesne University, Miami University, and University of Houston (DU, MU, UH)
  • Undergraduate college students 18 to 26 years old
  • Meet heavy drinking (4+ drinks in one sitting for individuals assigned female at birth, 5+ drinks in one sitting for individuals assigned male at birth in the past month) and ARC (alcohol-related content) posting criteria (2+ ARC posts in the last 30 days for individuals assigned female at birth, 1+ for individuals assigned male at birth, on either Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, or TikTok)

Who cannot join

  • Pregnant or of another protected population

Trial locations and contacts

3 sites in 1 country.

United States3 sites

  • University of Houston

    Houston, Pennsylvania, 77204

  • Miami University

    Oxford, Ohio, 45056

  • Duquesne University

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15282

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Project Smash (Social Media Alcohol Session for Health)

This study seeks to evaluate the unique and synergistic efficacy of social media-specific personalized normative feedback targeting the reduction of alcohol use among heavy-drinking college students who post alcohol-related content on social media.

Hypothesis: Alcohol personalized normative feedback, social media-specific personalized normative feedback, and the Alcohol personalized normative feedback+ social media-specific personalized normative feedback conditions will be more effective in reducing drinking than the attention control condition.

Being tested
Alcohol personalized normative feedback (APNF), Social media personalized normative feedback (SMPNF)
Keywords
social media
Medical subject headings
Alcohol Drinking

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Alcohol personalized normative feedback (APNF)Behavioural

    Participants will receive individualized feedback based upon their survey responses. Feedback regarding participant's drinking compared to other same-university students will include: (a) drinking days per week, (b) average drinks per occasion, (c) drinks per week, and (d) drinking percentile rank.

  • Social media personalized normative feedback (SMPNF)Behavioural

    Participants will receive individualized feedback based upon their survey responses. Feedback regarding participant's alcohol related content posts on social media and drinking compared to other same-university students will include: (a) alcohol related posting days per week, (b) average alcohol related posting per week, (c) posting percentile rank, (d) drinking days per week, (e) average drinks per week, and (f) drinking percentile rank.

Study groups in NCT05608109
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Alcohol personalized normative feedback (APNF)ExperimentalParticipants will receive feedback about their consumption, what they think the average student at their university drinks, and actual drinking statistics at their university. Participants in this condition will participate in a baseline survey and afterwards will receive the feedback intervention. They will then complete follow-up surveys at 3-months and 6-months.
Receives: Behavioral: Alcohol personalized normative feedback (APNF)
Social media personalized normative feedback (SMPNF)ExperimentalParticipants will receive feedback about their consumption and alcohol related consumption posts, what they think the average student at their university drinks, and actual drinking statistics at their university. Participants in this condition will participate in a baseline survey and afterwards will receive the feedback intervention. They will then complete follow-up surveys at 3-months and 6-months.
Receives: Behavioral: Social media personalized normative feedback (SMPNF)
Alcohol and social media personalized normative feedback (APNF + SMPNF)ExperimentalParticipants will go through the alcohol personalized normative feedback process and the social media personalized normative feedback. Participants in this condition will participate in a baseline survey and afterwards will receive the feedback intervention. They will then complete follow-up surveys at 3-months and 6-months.
Receives: Behavioral: Alcohol personalized normative feedback (APNF); Behavioral: Social media personalized normative feedback (SMPNF)
Attention controlNo interventionParticipants will receive feedback about their consumption of desserts, what they think their peers consume, and actual dessert consumption statistics are for individuals in their age group in the United States. Participants in this condition will participate in a baseline survey/feedback intervention. They will then complete follow-up surveys and feedback interventions at 3-months and 6-months.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (B-YAACQ) - change is being assessed

    The B-YAACQ is a 24 item assessment which measures consequences in 8 domains over a given time frame. Subscales include: Social/Interpersonal, Academic/Occupational, Risky Behavior, Impaired Control, Poor Self-Care, Diminished Self-Perception, Blackout Drinking, and Physiological Dependence. Minimum value: 0; Maximum Value: 24; Higher scores indicate more alcohol-related problems.

    Measured: Baseline, 3 month follow-up, 6 month follow-up

  2. Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) - change is being assessed

    The AUDIT is a 10 item tool which assesses a participant's drinking habits and alcohol-related consequences. Minimum value: 0; Maximum Value: 40; Higher scores indicate worse outcomes. A score of 15 or more indicates the likelihood of alcohol dependence.

    Measured: Baseline, 3 month follow-up, 6 month follow-up

  3. Rutgers Alcohol Problems Index (RAPI) -change is being assessed

    The RAPI is a 25-item questionnaire that measures problem drinking. Items are rated on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from none (0) to more than five times (4). Minimum value: 0; Maximum Value: 100; Higher scores indicate more alcohol-related problems.

    Measured: Baseline, 3 month follow-up, 6 month follow-up

  4. Quantity/Frequency/Peak Index (QFI) -change is being assessed

    The QFI consists of five items which assess participants' typical alcohol consumption patterns. Minimum value: 0; Maximum Value: 24; Higher scores indicate more alcohol use.

    Measured: Baseline, 3 month follow-up, 6 month follow-up

  5. Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ) -change is being assessed

    The DDQ is a 9 item tool which assesses participants' drinking over the past 3 months. Participants report how much they drank on an average over the past 3 months by indicating the number of drinks they consumed on each day of the week. Minimum value: 0; Maximum Value: 175 (windsorized to 25 drinks per day); Higher scores indicate more alcohol use.

    Measured: Baseline, 3 month follow-up, 6 month follow-up

  6. Drinking Norms Rating Form (DNRF) -change is being assessed

    The DNRF is a 5 item questionnaire that assesses an individual's view on the drinking habits of other individuals attending the same university. It was adapted from the Daily Drinking Questionnaire to assess perceptions of drinking norms on campus. Minimum value: 0; Maximum Value: 175 (windsorized to 25 drinks per day); Higher scores indicate students perceive their peers to engage in more alcohol use.

    Measured: Baseline, 3 month follow-up, 6 month follow-up

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted8 Nov 2022
  2. Study start9 Jan 2022
  3. Primary completion30 Jul 2024
  4. Study completion28 Dec 2024

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
401 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05608109
Sponsor's protocol ID
2022/05/12
Other IDs
R00AA025394
Acronym
SMASH
Status last verified
Nov 2024
First submitted
24 Oct 2022
Last updated
3 Feb 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Wallace JM Jr, Bachman JG, O'Malley PM, Schulenberg JE, Cooper SM, Johnston LD. Gender and ethnic differences in smoking, drinking and illicit drug use among American 8th, 10th and 12th grade students, 1976-2000. Addiction. 2003 Feb;98(2):225-34. doi: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.2003.00282.x.

    PubMed 12534428

  • Rinker DV, Diamond PM, Walters ST, Wyatt TM, DeJong W. Distinct Classes of Negative Alcohol-Related Consequences in a National Sample of Incoming First-Year College Students: A Latent Class Analysis. Alcohol Alcohol. 2016 Sep;51(5):602-8. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agw036. Epub 2016 Jun 20.

    PubMed 27325885

  • Curtis BL, Lookatch SJ, Ramo DE, McKay JR, Feinn RS, Kranzler HR. Meta-Analysis of the Association of Alcohol-Related Social Media Use with Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol-Related Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2018 Jun;42(6):978-986. doi: 10.1111/acer.13642. Epub 2018 May 22.

    PubMed 29786874

  • Collins RL, Parks GA, Marlatt GA. Social determinants of alcohol consumption: the effects of social interaction and model status on the self-administration of alcohol. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1985 Apr;53(2):189-200. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.53.2.189. No abstract available.

    PubMed 3998247

  • Read JP, Kahler CW, Strong DR, Colder CR. Development and preliminary validation of the young adult alcohol consequences questionnaire. J Stud Alcohol. 2006 Jan;67(1):169-77. doi: 10.15288/jsa.2006.67.169.

    PubMed 16536141

  • Saunders JB, Aasland OG, Babor TF, de la Fuente JR, Grant M. Development of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): WHO Collaborative Project on Early Detection of Persons with Harmful Alcohol Consumption--II. Addiction. 1993 Jun;88(6):791-804. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1993.tb02093.x.

    PubMed 8329970

  • Martens MP, Neighbors C, Dams-O'Connor K, Lee CM, Larimer ME. The factor structure of a dichotomously scored Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2007 Jul;68(4):597-606. doi: 10.15288/jsad.2007.68.597.

    PubMed 17568966

  • Dimeff, L. A. (Ed.). (1999). Brief alcohol screening and intervention for college students (BASICS): A harm reduction approach. Guilford Press.

  • Lindgren KP, Neighbors C, Teachman BA, Baldwin SA, Norris J, Kaysen D, Gasser ML, Wiers RW. Implicit alcohol associations, especially drinking identity, predict drinking over time. Health Psychol. 2016 Aug;35(8):908-918. doi: 10.1037/hea0000396.

    PubMed 27505215

  • Cooper ML. Motivations for alcohol use among adolescents: development and validation of a four-factor-model. Psychological Assessment. 1994; 6(2): 117-128.

  • Przybylski, AK, Murayama, K, DeHaan, CR, Gladwell, V. Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in Human Behavior. 2013; 29: 1814-1848.

  • Shensa A, Sidani JE, Escobar-Viera CG, Switzer GE, Primack BA, Choukas-Bradley S. Emotional support from social media and face-to-face relationships: Associations with depression risk among young adults. J Affect Disord. 2020 Jan 1;260:38-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.08.092. Epub 2019 Aug 29.

    PubMed 31493637

  • Cella D, Riley W, Stone A, Rothrock N, Reeve B, Yount S, Amtmann D, Bode R, Buysse D, Choi S, Cook K, Devellis R, DeWalt D, Fries JF, Gershon R, Hahn EA, Lai JS, Pilkonis P, Revicki D, Rose M, Weinfurt K, Hays R; PROMIS Cooperative Group. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) developed and tested its first wave of adult self-reported health outcome item banks: 2005-2008. J Clin Epidemiol. 2010 Nov;63(11):1179-94. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2010.04.011. Epub 2010 Aug 4.

    PubMed 20685078

  • Radloff, LS. The CES-D Scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement. 1977; 1(3): 385-401.

  • Lang FR, John D, Ludtke O, Schupp J, Wagner GG. Short assessment of the Big Five: robust across survey methods except telephone interviewing. Behav Res Methods. 2011 Jun;43(2):548-67. doi: 10.3758/s13428-011-0066-z.

    PubMed 21424189

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Alcohol personalized normative feedback (APNF) and Social media personalized normative feedback (SMPNF) in people with Alcohol Consumption, run by Duquesne University at 3 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Feb 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 3 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (B-YAACQ) - change is being assessed (time frame: Baseline, 3 month follow-up, 6 month follow-up). The study lists 6 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05608109, which also lists 32 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Feb 2025; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 1 Nov 2026.

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