Text Message Intervention for Alcohol Use and Sexual Violence in College Students

This is a prospective, open-label, feasibility trial of a text message-delivered intervention designed to increase use of sexual violence harm reduction strategies and decrease alcohol use among college students.

In this research study, participants will:

• be asked to complete three surveys, one survey at the start of the study, one at the end of 3 month intervention period, and one at 6 months after enrollment
• receive one of two sets of text messages for a 3 month intervention period and be asked to respond to some of those text messages

• Control condition text messages: The control condition will be a version of the TM-delivered alcohol use reduction intervention developed and implemented by Dr. Brian Suffoletto while at the University of Pittsburgh. This intervention has been tested in young adults (age 18-25) recruited from Emergency Department and college settings, and will be used to provide an attention control group for efficacy testing. Prior to typical drinking occasions, individuals planning a drinking event are prompted to consider committing to a drinking limit goal, i.e.: "Would you be willing to set a goal to drink less than X drinks when drinking?". Based on willingness to commit to the goal, a feedback message is provided. During typical drinking periods, individuals receive a goal reminder. Each week, the program provides goal success/failure feedback or drinking quantity feedback. For example, those occasions where an individual committed to a drinking limit goal triggers either messages to reinforce goal successes or reframe goal failures. When an individual did not commit to a drink limit goal, they are provided feedback based on alcohol quantity (e.g. abstinence feedback, high risk drinking feedback).
• Intervention condition text messages: The multi-target sexual violence harm reduction and alcohol use intervention will use a similar model to the alcohol use reduction intervention previous developed and implemented at the University of Pittsburgh.13-15 Students will be: 1) queried via TM prior to typical drinking days regarding both alcohol use and SV harm reduction goal setting; 2) provided with goal reminders during drinking period; and 3) assessed for goal attainment and given feedback following drinking episodes.

Inclusion criteria

• age 18-24 years,
• current college or university student,
• owns a mobile phone with internet access and unlimited text message plan,
• reports binge drinking in the past 30 days [>3 drinks for women, >4 drinks men in one sitting]
• Able to complete participation in English.
• To evaluate messages tailored to prior SV victimization, approximately 50% of the sample will also be purposively recruited for a baseline history of SV.

Exclusion criteria

• Under 18 years old, over 24 years old
• Not currently enrolled in college
• Does not own a mobile phone with internet access and unlimited data plan
• Does not report binge drinking in the past 30 day
• Unable to complete study participation in English