Research & Resources

This study aimed to test the causal effect of different text message interventions on reducing alcohol consumption indirectly by altering the desire to get drunk. Participants were young adults randomized to participate in various behavior change technique interventions, including self-monitoring alone (TRACK); pre-drinking plan feedback (PLAN); post-drinking alcohol consumption feedback (USE); pre- and post-drinking goal feedback (GOAL); and a combination of techniques (COMBO). All participants completed at least 2 days of both pre- and post-drinking assessments over 12 weeks of intervention exposure. At the between-person level, the desire to get drunk lessened the effect of the USE and COMBO interventions (by 35.9% and 34.4%, respectively) when it came to reducing binge drinking. The desire to get drunk lessened the effect of the COMBO intervention by 60.8% when it came to reducing drinks per drinking day. Significant indirect effects were not found for any other text message intervention. Findings support the hypothesized mediation model wherein the desire to get drunk partially lessens the effects of a text message intervention using a combination of behavior change techniques to reduce alcohol consumption.

This paper, “Desire to get drunk partially mediates effects of a combined text message-based alcohol intervention for young adults,” was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and published in the journal Drug and alcohol dependence.