Brief ROC Training Effects on Alcohol Drinking
Binge Drinking, Heavy Drinking, Young Adult
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Binge Drinking focused on measuring Binge Drinking, Heavy Drinking, Young Adult, Heavy Drinker, Regulation of craving, Cognitive behavioral therapy, Neurocognitive training, Emotion regulation, Alcohol
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adults ages 18-25
- Capability of performing the experimental tasks (e.g., can read, able to use computers)
- Native or fluent speaker of English
- Provides informed consent
- Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
- Willing to commit to the full length of the protocol
- Heavy drinking or binge-drinking
Exclusion Criteria.
- Present DSM disorders, apart from alcohol use disorders
- Reports of neurological or systemic disorders that can cause cognitive impairment
- Minor cognitive impairment evidenced by an inability to correctly understand study information
- Reports entirely no interest in reducing the amount of drinking (Alcohol Contemplation Ladder score of 9 or 10).
Sites / Locations
- Clinical & Affective Neuroscience LabRecruiting
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Active Comparator
Placebo Comparator
CRAVING REGULATION
CONTROL (NO REGULATION)
In the CRAVING REGULATION condition, participants will first read a brief essay about the adverse consequences of drinking alcohol. Then, participants may complete a comprehension check consisting of questions to ensure that they understood and encoded the content of the essays. Participants will be trained to use the information to inform the strategy they will use in the regulation of craving training (ROC-T). A single trial in the regulation of craving training will have two possible instructions: (a) STRATEGY: implement the strategy ("bring to mind the negative facts from the essay") and (b) LOOK: to merely observe the image and allow natural responses to come. Participants will follow the instructions; followed by an alcohol-related picture, a brief delay, and will then rate their craving. Participants will then be instructed to use this strategy in daily life situations when they might drink.
In the CONTROL condition, participants will first read a brief essay about a non-alcohol-related topic (e.g., color perception). Then, participants will complete a comprehension check consisting of questions to ensure that they understood and encoded the content of the essays. Participants will view images of objects that are unrelated to alcohol. Furthermore, participants in the control condition will not practice any strategy in the regulation of craving task (ROC-T). That is, in the CONTROL condition, participants would merely observe the image and allow natural responses to come (i.e., LOOK instruction) and rate how colorful is each item (this controls for task time and experiment setting).