Digital Motivational Behavioral Economic Intervention to Reduce Risky Drinking Among Community-Dwelling Emerging Adults

At each assessment point, participants will complete an online TLFB concerning their daily drinking during the past month, an interval found sufficiently long to characterize drinking patterns. Using a calendar that covers the 30-day recall interval, participants record how many standard drinks of beer, wine, or liquor they consumed each day. Drinks per week will be calculated for tests of study hypotheses along with other metrics for descriptive purposes (frequency of gender adjusted heavy and high intensity drinking days).The TLFB is considered the "gold standard" for obtaining reliable and accurate reports of alcohol consumption using a variety of assessment modalities (e.g., interview, online, phone) and is accepted by the FDA for use as an efficacy endpoint of percentage of heavy drinking days in clinical trials.

At each assessment point, participants will complete an online TLFB concerning their daily drinking during the past month, an interval found sufficiently long to characterize drinking patterns. Using a calendar that covers the 30-day recall interval, participants record how many standard drinks of beer, wine, or liquor they consumed each day. Drinks per week will be calculated for tests of study hypotheses along with other metrics for descriptive purposes (frequency of gender adjusted heavy and high intensity drinking days).The TLFB is considered the "gold standard" for obtaining reliable and accurate reports of alcohol consumption using a variety of assessment modalities (e.g., interview, online, phone) and is accepted by the FDA for use as an efficacy endpoint of percentage of heavy drinking days in clinical trials.

The Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire asks about 24 negative events during the past month (e.g., neglected obligations, driving after drinking) and includes common and less severe consequences suitable for use with younger populations. The B-YAACQ is reliable yet sensitive to changes in alcohol use, has high internal consistency, and includes common but less severe consequences. Scores, ranging from 0-24, are predicted by typical drinking as well as by BE-relevant indices of impulsivity and poor self-regulation. Higher scores indicate participants are experiencing more negative events associated with their drinking.

The Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire asks about 24 negative events during the past month (e.g., neglected obligations, driving after drinking) and includes common and less severe consequences suitable for use with younger populations. The B-YAACQ is reliable yet sensitive to changes in alcohol use, has high internal consistency, and includes common but less severe consequences. Scores, ranging from 0-24, are predicted by typical drinking as well as by BE-relevant indices of impulsivity and poor self-regulation. Higher scores indicate participants are experiencing more negative events associated with their drinking.

Participants report past month frequency and rate the enjoyment of 36 activities that are substance free vs. substance involved. Frequency and enjoyment ratings are multiplied to obtain a cross-product that reflects reinforcement derived from the activity, and the relative reinforcement value of alcohol (R-ratio) is computed for analysis [(alcohol-related total/(alcohol-free total + alcohol- related total)]. Participants also report the number of hours spent engaging in several activity categories during a typical week in the past month (work, exercise, drinking, recreation).

Participants report past month frequency and rate the enjoyment of 36 activities that are substance free vs. substance involved. Frequency and enjoyment ratings are multiplied to obtain a cross-product that reflects reinforcement derived from the activity, and the relative reinforcement value of alcohol (R-ratio) is computed for analysis [(alcohol-related total/(alcohol-free total + alcohol- related total)]. Participants also report the number of hours spent engaging in several activity categories during a typical week in the past month (work, exercise, drinking, recreation).

This adjusting delay discounting task yields accurate discount rates in less than one minute. Values are well correlated with the established longer adjusting amount delay discounting procedure. Delays are adjusted based on participants' responses in a series of 5 trials in which a hypothetical monetary reward amount is held constant. The task directly measures ED50, which is the delay at which the current reward value is half its nominal dollar amount. Outcomes will not be incentivized because hypothetical and real money generate equivalent measures.

This adjusting delay discounting task yields accurate discount rates in less than one minute. Values are well correlated with the established longer adjusting amount delay discounting procedure. Delays are adjusted based on participants' responses in a series of 5 trials in which a hypothetical monetary reward amount is held constant. The task directly measures ED50, which is the delay at which the current reward value is half its nominal dollar amount. Outcomes will not be incentivized because hypothetical and real money generate equivalent measures.

This questionnaire asks participants to report how many standard drinks they would consume across 20 prices ($0 to $40) in an imaginary drinking setting, which yields multiple observed and derived indices reflecting sensitivity to price changes that correspond with actual alcohol use. Elasticity of demand and intensity (consumption at $0) will be used for analysis. Relative insensitivity to price changes ("inelastic" demand) is related to risky drinking and alcohol problems, and intensity has incremental utility to predict alcohol use disorder symptoms beyond drinking practices.

This questionnaire asks participants to report how many standard drinks they would consume across 20 prices ($0 to $40) in an imaginary drinking setting, which yields multiple observed and derived indices reflecting sensitivity to price changes that correspond with actual alcohol use. Elasticity of demand and intensity (consumption at $0) will be used for analysis. Relative insensitivity to price changes ("inelastic" demand) is related to risky drinking and alcohol problems, and intensity has incremental utility to predict alcohol use disorder symptoms beyond drinking practices.

The RDEA index reflects strength of preference for alcohol in relation to other discretionary commodities common in the personal economies of younger adults and predicts alcohol problems and outcomes. It is based on participant reports of money spent during the past month on nonessential items (e.g., clothing, music, recreation) and on alcoholic beverages, regardless of whether the alcohol was consumed. Participants also report dollars saved voluntarily, which reflects resource allocation for future goals. Lower RDEA values and proportionately greater allocation to savings than alcohol predict positive drinking outcomes.

The RDEA index reflects strength of preference for alcohol in relation to other discretionary commodities common in the personal economies of younger adults and predicts alcohol problems and outcomes. It is based on participant reports of money spent during the past month on nonessential items (e.g., clothing, music, recreation) and on alcoholic beverages, regardless of whether the alcohol was consumed. Participants also report dollars saved voluntarily, which reflects resource allocation for future goals. Lower RDEA values and proportionately greater allocation to savings than alcohol predict positive drinking outcomes.