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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT04833972

Eliciting Perceived Norms About Substance Use

Survey experiment to elicit perceived norms about substance use

Completed

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Key information

Conditions

Tobacco Use Alcohol Drinking Behavior Drinking Behavior

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Mbarara, Uganda

About this study

Health behaviors and health risk behaviors are known to be associated with the extent to which one perceives these behaviors as normative. The canonical example of this phenomenon is taken from the U.S. literature, which has robustly shown that undergraduate students on college campuses tend to drink more heavily and frequently if they believe their classmates drink heavily and frequently, irrespective of their classmates' actual levels and frequency of use. However, there remains little systematic understanding about the best ways to elicit these perceived norms through survey-based research studies. This randomized survey experiment compares different ways of eliciting perceived norms.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • All adults who consider Nyakabare their primary place of residence and who are capable of providing consent

Exclusion criteria

  • Minors younger than 18 years of age, with the exception of emancipated minors
  • Persons who do not consider Nyakabare Parish their primary place of residence, e.g., persons who happen to be visiting Nyakabare at the time of the survey or who own a home in Nyakabare but spend most of their time outside the parish
  • Persons with psychosis, neurological damage, acute intoxication, or other cognitive impairment (all of which are determined informally in the field by non-clinical research staff in consultation with a supervisor)

Treatment and study plan

Survey questionnaire

Other

Each version of the questionnaire has the same questions about perceived norms about substance use in the community but differs in how the response options are offered.

Primary outcomes

  1. Perception of Tobacco Use Frequency Among Men

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

    "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish smoked cigarettes four or more times per week in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  2. Perception of Tobacco Use Frequency Among Women

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

    "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish smoked cigarettes four or more times per week in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  3. Perception of Alcohol Use Frequency Among Men

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

    "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish taken alcohol four or more times per week in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  4. Perception of Alcohol Use Frequency Among Women

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

    "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish taken alcohol four or more times per week in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  5. Perception of Alcohol-Related Blackouts Among Men

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

    "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish been unable to remember what happened the night before at least once as a result of them taking alcohol in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  6. Perception of Alcohol-Related Blackouts Among Women

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

    "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish been unable to remember what happened the night before at least once as a result of them taking alcohol in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  7. Perception of Alcohol-Related Spousal Problems Among Men

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

    "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish quarreled after taking alcohol with their spouse or main partner if they have one in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  8. Perception of Alcohol-Related Spousal Problems Among Women

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

    "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish quarreled after taking alcohol with their spouse or main partner if they have one in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  9. Perception of Alcohol Intoxication Among Men

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

    "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish experienced drunkenness or intoxication on 3 or more days in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  10. Perception of Alcohol Intoxication Among Women

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 30 days)

    "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish experienced drunkenness or intoxication on 3 or more days in the past 30 days?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  11. Perception of Alcohol Use Financial Harms Among Men

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

    "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish had a harmful effect on their household's finances due to them taking alcohol in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  12. Perception of Alcohol Use Financial Harms Among Women

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

    "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish had a harmful effect on their household's finances due to them taking alcohol in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  13. Perception of Alcohol Spending Among Men

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

    "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish spent more than 35,000 USh on any kind of alcohol in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  14. Perception of Alcohol Spending Among Women

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

    "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish spent more than 35,000 USh on any kind of alcohol in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  15. Perception of Alcohol Binge Use Frequency Among Men

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

    "According to your perception, have most men in your cell in this parish taken 6 or more drinks in a single morning, afternoon, or night in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

  16. Perception of Alcohol Binge Use Frequency Among Women

    Time frame: Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate, and participants are asked about the past 12 months)

    "According to your perception, have most women in your cell in this parish taken 6 or more drinks in a single morning, afternoon, or night in the past 12 months?" (single item, culturally adapted and developed for this study; categorical response options)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Massachusetts General Hospital

Other

Collaborators

  • Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Apr 6, 2021
Registry last updated
Jun 1, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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