Heavy Episodic DrinkingNCT07839026
Greek Connections Study
A study testing Alcohol-free Social Activities Program in people with Heavy Episodic Drinking and Problem Drinking, run by University of Washington at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention aiming to reduce heavy episodic drinking and negative consequences from alcohol by increasing the availability of and engagement in alcohol-free social activities for college students who are affiliated with a fraternity or… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 29 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Heavy Episodic Drinking, Problem Drinking, College Student Drinking
- What is being tested?
- Alcohol-free Social Activities Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 480 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Sep 2026to Jun 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 29 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Active membership in a sorority or fraternity organization at the University of Washington
- Age 18-29 years
Who cannot join
- None beyond failure to meet the inclusion criteria.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle, Washington, 98105
Elizabeth Lehinger, PhD, 206-685-2638, bethl4@uw.edu
Elizabeth Lehinger, PhD
About this study
Official title: Increasing Availability of and Engagement in Alcohol-Free Social Activities to Address Heavy Episodic Drinking and Alcohol Consequences Among Fraternity and Sorority College Students
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention aiming to reduce heavy episodic drinking and negative consequences from alcohol by increasing the availability of and engagement in alcohol-free social activities for college students who are affiliated with a fraternity or sorority organization.
Read the detailed description
The negative impact of heavy episodic drinking (HED) among college students continues to be a major public health issue, and students who are members of fraternities and sororities (Greek members) are at particularly greater risk for experiencing negative alcohol consequences due to frequent HED. This study integrates developmental and behavioral economic models of alcohol use to test an environmental approach to reducing alcohol-related harm among Greek members. Within the Greek community, chapters will plan and offer alcohol-free social activities for their chapter members to attend, providing alternatives to drinking events for building social connections. To increase usability and contextual fit, the program of alcohol-free social activities was developed and refined in collaboration with Greek members. The pilot trial is focused on evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention but will also evaluate changes in heavy episodic drinking and alcohol consequences using a pre-post design, with data collected across two consecutive academic years. Members of participating chapters will provide baseline data during Year 1 and receive the intervention during Year 2.
- Being tested
- Alcohol-free Social Activities Program
- Keywords
- substance-free activities, alternative reinforcement, social reward
- Medical subject headings
- Alcoholism, Alcohol Drinking in College
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Alcohol-free Social Activities ProgramBehavioural
The Alcohol-Free Social Activities Program is a chapter-level behavioral intervention designed to increase the availability of and participation in rewarding social activities that do not involve alcohol among fraternity and sorority members. Participating chapters will receive a program toolkit containing guidance and procedures for planning and implementing alcohol-free social activities. Chapter leaders will select, plan, and implement activities for their members during the intervention period. The program is designed to increase opportunities for rewarding alcohol-free social experiences and strengthen social connection among chapter members.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol-Free Social Activities Program | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Alcohol-free Social Activities Program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Intervention Feasibility: Recruitment
Number of chapters who agree to participate in the intervention
Measured: From initiation of chapter recruitment through the end of Year 1 enrollment, approximately 18 months.
Intervention Feasibility: Retention
The proportion of participating chapters that remain actively involved in the program through completion of the intervention period.
Measured: From chapter enrollment through completion of the intervention period, approximately 14 months
Intervention Feasibility: Engagement
Number of Greek members who attend the social activities
Measured: The intervention delivery period (approximately 4 weeks) during year 2
Weiner's Acceptability measure
Measure of acceptability of the intervention
Measured: Post-intervention during Year 2
Weiner's Intervention Appropriateness measure
Measure of appropriateness of the intervention
Measured: Post-intervention during Year 2
Weiner's Feasibility measure
Measure of feasibility of the intervention
Measured: Post-intervention during Year 2
Intervention Feasibility: Enjoyment Ratings
Ratings of enjoyment from Greek members who attend an alcohol-free social activity
Measured: During the intervention period in Year 2
Secondary outcomes (3)
Heavy episodic drinking episodes
Number of heavy episodic drinking episodes derived from the Daily Drinking Questionnaire
Measured: Assessment periods over two months of Year 1 and Year 2
Alcohol consequences
Sum scores on the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (BYAACQ) which assesses alcohol use consequences. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.
Measured: Assessment periods over two months of Year 1 and Year 2
Intervention Feasibility: Practicality
Time spent planning and facilitating alcohol-free social activities by chapters
Measured: The intervention delivery period (approximately 4 weeks) during year 2
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Sep 2026
- Study startSep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionJun 2028 (estimated)
- Study completionJun 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Heavy Episodic DrinkingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of WashingtonThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 480 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Washington
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Elizabeth Lehinger, University of Washington
- Investigators
- Elizabeth Lehinger, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Washington
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07839026
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY00020990
- Other IDs
- K23AA032019
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 24 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: This study will submit and share data with NIAAA Data Archive (NIAAADA), a data repository housed within the NIMH Data Archive (NDA). De-identified individual participant data underlying the results reported from this study will be made available to qualified researchers for secondary research purposes, consistent with participant consent, applicable institutional requirements, and the study's NIH-approved Data Management and Sharing Plan. Data will be de-identified prior to sharing. Data will be made available through NIAAADA and/or a controlled-access process. Researchers requesting access may be required to submit a research proposal and enter into a data use agreement that prohibits attempts to identify participants or participating organizations.
Publications
Murphy JG, Dennhardt AA. The behavioral economics of young adult substance abuse. Prev Med. 2016 Nov;92:24-30. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.04.022. Epub 2016 May 3.
PubMed 27151545Acuff SF, MacKillop J, Murphy JG. A contextualized reinforcer pathology approach to addiction. Nat Rev Psychol. 2023;2(5):309-323. doi: 10.1038/s44159-023-00167-y. Epub 2023 Mar 21.
PubMed 37193018
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Increasing Availability of and Engagement in Alcohol-Free Social Activities to Address Heavy Episodic Drinking and Alcohol Consequences Among Fraternity and Sorority College Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07839026
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STUDY00020990
- Keywords
- substance-free activities, alternative reinforcement, social reward
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 480 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of WashingtonUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Study start
- Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Jun 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jun 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 24 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention aiming to reduce heavy episodic drinking and negative consequences from alcohol by increasing the availability of and engagement in alcohol-free social activities for college students who are affiliated with a fraternity or sorority organization.
Detailed description
The negative impact of heavy episodic drinking (HED) among college students continues to be a major public health issue, and students who are members of fraternities and sororities (Greek members) are at particularly greater risk for experiencing negative alcohol consequences due to frequent HED. This study integrates developmental and behavioral economic models of alcohol use to test an environmental approach to reducing alcohol-related harm among Greek members. Within the Greek community, chapters will plan and offer alcohol-free social activities for their chapter members to attend, providing alternatives to drinking events for building social connections. To increase usability and contextual fit, the program of alcohol-free social activities was developed and refined in collaboration with Greek members. The pilot trial is focused on evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention but will also evaluate changes in heavy episodic drinking and alcohol consequences using a pre-post design, with data collected across two consecutive academic years. Members of participating chapters will provide baseline data during Year 1 and receive the intervention during Year 2.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol-Free Social Activities Program | Experimental | Behavioral: Alcohol-free Social Activities Program |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 29 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Active membership in a sorority or fraternity organization at the University of Washington
- Age 18-29 years
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- None beyond failure to meet the inclusion criteria.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol-free Social Activities ProgramThe Alcohol-Free Social Activities Program is a chapter-level behavioral intervention designed to increase the availability of and participation in rewarding social activities that do not involve alcohol among fraternity and sorority members. Participating chapters will receive a program toolkit containing guidance and procedures for planning and implementing alcohol-free social activities. Chapter leaders will select, plan, and implement activities for their members during the intervention period. The program is designed to increase opportunities for rewarding alcohol-free social experiences and strengthen social connection among chapter members. | Behavioural | Alcohol-Free Social Activities Program |
Primary outcome
Intervention Feasibility: Recruitment
Time frame: From initiation of chapter recruitment through the end of Year 1 enrollment, approximately 18 months.
Number of chapters who agree to participate in the intervention
Intervention Feasibility: Retention
Time frame: From chapter enrollment through completion of the intervention period, approximately 14 months
The proportion of participating chapters that remain actively involved in the program through completion of the intervention period.
Intervention Feasibility: Engagement
Time frame: The intervention delivery period (approximately 4 weeks) during year 2
Number of Greek members who attend the social activities
Weiner's Acceptability measure
Time frame: Post-intervention during Year 2
Measure of acceptability of the intervention
Weiner's Intervention Appropriateness measure
Time frame: Post-intervention during Year 2
Measure of appropriateness of the intervention
Weiner's Feasibility measure
Time frame: Post-intervention during Year 2
Measure of feasibility of the intervention
Intervention Feasibility: Enjoyment Ratings
Time frame: During the intervention period in Year 2
Ratings of enjoyment from Greek members who attend an alcohol-free social activity
3 secondary outcomes
Heavy episodic drinking episodes
Time frame: Assessment periods over two months of Year 1 and Year 2
Alcohol consequences
Time frame: Assessment periods over two months of Year 1 and Year 2
Intervention Feasibility: Practicality
Time frame: The intervention delivery period (approximately 4 weeks) during year 2
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Sep 2026.
- Background: PubMed 27151545Murphy JG, Dennhardt AA. The behavioral economics of young adult substance abuse. Prev Med. 2016 Nov;92:24-30. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.04.022. Epub 2016 May 3.
- Background: PubMed 37193018Acuff SF, MacKillop J, Murphy JG. A contextualized reinforcer pathology approach to addiction. Nat Rev Psychol. 2023;2(5):309-323. doi: 10.1038/s44159-023-00167-y. Epub 2023 Mar 21.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. This study will submit and share data with NIAAA Data Archive (NIAAADA), a data repository housed within the NIMH Data Archive (NDA). De-identified individual participant data underlying the results reported from this study will be made available to qualified researchers for secondary research purposes, consistent with participant consent, applicable institutional requirements, and the study's NIH-approved Data Management and Sharing Plan. Data will be de-identified prior to sharing. Data will be made available through NIAAADA and/or a controlled-access process. Researchers requesting access may be required to submit a research proposal and enter into a data use agreement that prohibits attempts to identify participants or participating organizations.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Elizabeth Lehinger, PhD principal investigator
University of Washington
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Alcohol-free Social Activities Program in people with Heavy Episodic Drinking and Problem Drinking, run by University of Washington at 1 site 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 2 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Elizabeth Lehinger, PhD (206-685-2638, bethl4@uw.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Intervention Feasibility: Recruitment (time frame: From initiation of chapter recruitment through the end of Year 1 enrollment, approximately 18 months.). The study lists 7 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 NCT07839026, which also lists 2 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 24 Sep 2026.