A fun, game-based plan to help youth reduce harmful drinking
Official title: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Game-Based Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Use among Youth
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11415614 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A youth-focused, game-based program will be tested to see if it can reduce alcohol use and related harms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $683,231 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA030017-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415614 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are youth at risk for harmful alcohol use who can access and engage with a game-based intervention.
✕Less likely to help
Some youth may not experience noticeable benefits, especially if they do not engage with the game or have different risk factors.
What this research studies
This project tests a theory-based video game designed with input from young people to prevent and lessen alcohol-related harms. It uses a rigorous randomized design with a large sample of nearly 2,000 youths to measure short-, mid-, and long-term effects on drinking behavior and health risks. The study also explores how easily the game could be adopted in real-world settings by a smaller, non-randomized subgroup. The trial builds on earlier pilot work showing the game was well-liked by youth, aiming to provide solid evidence of public health impact.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the game could reduce alcohol-related problems among youth and inform scalable prevention tools.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary pilot testing showed the game was acceptable to youth, and similar digital prevention tools have shown promise in reducing risk behaviors.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Coulter, Robert W.s. — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Coulter, Robert W.s.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.