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NCT Number: NCT07501130

Feasibility of Telephone-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Hong Kong Chinese Young Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Pilot Study

Objective: The proposed study aims to develop a protocol of telephone-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and examine the feasibility of implementing such intervention among the Hong Kong Chinese young adults with AUD.

Study design: A randomized controlled trial will be carried out. A convenience sample of 60 young adults with AUD will be recruited from the community. Subjects who are randomized into the experimental group which will receive a total of 6 weekly telephone-based ACT provided by an experienced health counsellor, or into the control group which will receive social support provided by a research assistant, that mimics the time and attention of the intervention. Feasibility measures will be collected at baseline (T0), 3- (T1) and 6- (T2) and 12-month (T3) follow-ups. Also, all subjects will be asked to complete a structured questionnaire to assess their alcohol use behaviours and psychological flexibility at the same time points.

Main outcome measures: The primary outcomes are feasibility measures by descriptive statistics. The secondary outcome is the preliminary effectiveness of telephone-based ACT in alcohol abstinence at 6 months

Data analysis: Multiple logistic regression will be used for analysis. Intention-to-treat analysis will be applied. Multiple imputations will be used to handle the missing data.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Key information

Conditions

Alcohol Use Disorder Alcohol Abstinence Alcohol-Related Disorders Alcoholism Behavior Chemically-Induced Disorders Drinking Behavior Mental Disorders Substance-Related Disorders

Age range

18 year–25 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • (1) aged 18 to 25 years,
  • (2) able to read Chinese and speak Cantonese
  • (3) drinking at hazardous levels as measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT; score of ≥8)

Exclusion criteria

  • (1) those receiving other behavioural therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
  • (2) having a diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder

Treatment and study plan

ACT

Behavioral

Participants in the experimental group will receive a total of 6 weekly telephone-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) sessions.

Social Support

Behavioral

Participants in the control group will receive telephone-based social support weekly for 6 weeks.

Primary outcomes

  1. Screening rate

    Time frame: Baseline

    It will calculate the number of young adults screened by the research assistant divided by the number of young adults available for screening during the recruitment period.

  2. Eligibility rate

    Time frame: Baseline

    It will be calculated as the number of eligible young adults divided by the number of screened young adults.

  3. Consent rate

    Time frame: Baseline

    It will be calculated as the number of eligible young adults who join the study divided by the number of eligible young adults.

  4. Randomization rate

    Time frame: Baseline

    It will be calculated as the number of young adults who are randomized into the experimental and control groups, divided by the number of eligible young adults who consent to join the study.

  5. Attendance rate to the intervention

    Time frame: at baseline (T0), 3- (T1) and 6- (T2) and 12-month (T3) follow-ups

    It will be calculated as the number of subjects in the experimental group who complete the intervention divided by the number of subjects randomized into the experimental group.

  6. Adherence to intervention

    Time frame: at baseline (T0), 3- (T1) and 6- (T2) and 12-month (T3) follow-ups

    It will be calculated as the number of subjects in the experimental group who practice the ACT skills gained in the intervention divided by the number of subjects randomized into the experimental group. It will be calculated at each follow-up.

  7. Retention rate

    Time frame: at baseline (T0), 3- (T1) and 6- (T2) and 12-month (T3) follow-ups

    It will be calculated the number of subjects who remain in the study, divided by the number of subjects who are randomized. It will be calculated by groups at each follow-up.

  8. Completion rate

    Time frame: at baseline (T0), 3- (T1) and 6- (T2) and 12-month (T3) follow-ups

    It is calculated as the number of subjects who answer the questionnaires divided by the number of questionnaires distributed.

  9. Missing data

    Time frame: at baseline (T0), 3- (T1) and 6- (T2) and 12-month (T3) follow-ups

    It is defined as the percentage of missing in the dataset. Unknown or blank values will be regarded as missing.

  10. Adverse event

    Time frame: at baseline (T0), 3- (T1) and 6- (T2) and 12-month (T3) follow-ups

    unfavorable and unintended events.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Weekly alcohol consumption

    Time frame: at 6-month (T2) follow-ups

    Drinks per week over the past 30 days. The Timeline Follow-Back questionnaire (TLFB) will be used to determine the number of alcohol-free days from drinking days, and the number of drinks consumed per day.

  2. Psychological flexibility

    Time frame: at 6-month (T2) follow-ups

    The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II (AAQII) will be used to measure psychological flexibility. This questionnaire contains 7 items, with each rated on a 7-point scale, from 1 (never true) to 7 (always true). Lower scores indicate greater levels of psychological flexibility.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Mar 30, 2026
Registry last updated
Mar 30, 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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