Binge Drinking, Binge Eating
Conditions
Brief summary
This pilot project targets both binge drinking and binge eating behavior in college students through a mobile-based online program that provides students with evidence-based intervention material designed to reduce the incidence of both behaviors and encourage students to seek more formal in-person counseling.
Detailed description
Despite the prevalence of binge drinking and binge eating behaviors among college students, few students seek care for either. Intervening with college students early is essential as untreated symptoms of binge drinking and binge eating behaviors can become more severe and persistent over time, often leading to diagnosed disorders and lasting consequences on students' social functioning, physical health, and educational attainment. Thus, the major goal of this research study is to target both binge drinking and binge eating behavior in college students through a mobile-based online program that provides students with evidence-based intervention material designed to reduce the incidence of both behaviors, as well as encourage students to seek more formal in-person counseling. The intervention combines two innovations to facilitate behavior change: (1) personalized drinking and binge eating intervention content with harm reduction and cognitive behavioral skills proven to be efficacious in reducing these problematic behaviors among college students delivered via (2) a mobile-based program that increases accessibility, is easy and engaging to use, and broadens the accessibility of the intervention content to an often non-treatment seeking group. The intervention is informed by evidence-based practices, with student and expert feedback, to help limit alcohol consumption, engage in healthier eating behaviors, and practice alternate strategies to manage negative affect.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALBrief Online Binge Eating and Drinking Intervention
The intervention is an online mobile phone program developed by our research team. It builds upon efficacious brief alcohol interventions with college students by addressing underlying loss of control, impulsivity, and emotion regulation through the use of videos, interactive activities, and psychoeducation.
Sponsors
University of Southern California
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 24 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* full time undergraduate student at the study site * between the ages of 18 and 24 * ability to speak and read English * at least two occasions of binge drinking (5 or more drinks in a row for males, 4 (i.e., an objectively large amount of food with a self-reported loss of control) in the past 28 days * at least two occasions of binge eating (i.e., an objectively large amount of food with a self-reported loss of control)151 in the past 28 days * no receipt of mental health or substance use care in the past month.
Exclusion criteria
* not meeting eligibility criteria
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency of past 28-day binge drinking | Baseline, one-month follow-up, and three-month follow-up | Number of binge drinking episodes in the past 28 days |
| Frequency of past 28-day binge eating | Baseline, one-month follow-up, and three-month follow-up | Number of binge eating episodes in the past 28 days |
| Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (B-YAACQ) | Baseline, one-month follow-up, and three-month follow-up | 21 alcohol-related consequences experienced in the past month. Sum positive responses to get a score from 0 to 24 (higher score indicates greater number of consequences) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder Treatment History Inventory | Baseline, one-month follow-up, and three-month follow-up | Utilization of mental health and/or substance use care |
Contacts
Primary ContactEric Pedersen, Ph.D.
Outcome results
None listed