Targeting young drinkers online: The effectiveness of a web-based brief alcohol intervention in preventing excessive drinking patterns among adolescents.

The aim of the project is to test the effectiveness of a web-based brief alcohol intervention that is specifically aimed at reducing heavy alcohol use among heavy drinkers in the ages between 18 and 24 years in a Dutch sample. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) trial with a 1 factor (two levels: experimental versus control condition) pre-post test design will be conducted. EMA measurements on mean weekly alcohol consumption and binge drinking will be employed and assessments on alcohol related cognitions will be conducted periodically.

The present study will test the effectiveness of a web-based brief alcohol intervention that is specifically aimed at reducing heavy alcohol use among heavy drinkers in the ages between 18 and 24 years in a Dutch sample. We expect that a larger percentage of participants in the experimental condition will drink within the normative limits of the Dutch National Health Council for low-risk drinking compared to the control condition as a direct result of the intervention and thereby not exceeding a mean consumption rate of more than 14 (females) or 21 (men) glasses of standard units of alcohol per week and/or drink 5 or more glasses of standard units of alcohol on one drinking occasion at least once per week at 1 month and 6 months after the intervention. It was hypothesized that reductions in mean weekly alcohol consumption and frequency of binge drinking would occur in both arms, but exposure to the web-based brief alcohol intervention would be more effective than receiving no intervention.

Baseline, 1, and 6 months.

Participants will be allocated at random to either the experimental condition – exposure (± 20 minutes) to a web-based brief alcohol intervention – or control condition – no intervention. In addition, all participants are being offered a monetary reward of 100 euro after completing the total follow up period.