Social Facilitation of Alcohol Effects and Alcohol Misuse in Young Adults

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand social contexts and alcohol use. We hope to learn how being around peers affects alcohol consumption in young adults. About 200 young adults who drink alcohol frequently will take part in the study. This research is being funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Participation involves one in-person screening session with a same-sex platonic friend. Then participants will complete four in-person laboratory sessions where they will drink beverages containing alcohol or no alcohol. After completion of the laboratory sessions, participants will complete smartphone surveys for 28 days. Lastly, they will complete follow-up surveys 6 months and 12 months post-study enrollment.

Conditions

  • Alcohol Consumption
  • Alcohol Abuse/Dependence

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 21 Years and 28 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • 21-28 years of age - Drink regularly (1+ times/week) with a same-sex platonic friend that also meets eligibility and is willing to participate - Regular alcohol use (3+ times/week) with at least one binge drinking episode (5+ drinks [male] or 4+ drinks [female] in about 2 hours) in the past month - BMI of 18-30 - Own a smart device operating on the iOS or Android operating system - Fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria

  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding or intent to get pregnant in the next 60 days (females) - medical conditions counter-indicated for alcohol administration - seeking treatment for alcohol use

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
N/A
Intervention Model
Single Group Assignment
Primary Purpose
Basic Science
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Laboratory alcohol administration with longitudinal follow-ups 		All participants will be in this single arm, which consists on behavioral testing of alcohol administration in the lab, followed by longitudinal follow-ups using Ecological Momentary Assessment and surveys.
  • Drug: Alcohol (Oral)
    Participants will drink a beverage that will have alcohol or no alcohol. The amount of alcohol consumed will be similar to consuming around 3-4 drinks, with breath alcohol concentration peaking at or around the legal limit for driving (0.08%).

Recruiting Locations

University of Southern California
Los Angeles 5368361, California 5332921 90032
Contact:
Matt G Kirkpatrick
323-442-8221
mgkirkpa@usc.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
University of Southern California

Study Contact

Matt G Kirkpatrick, PhD
323-442-8221
mgkirkpa@usc.edu