ACT for HIV+ drinkers: a guided, phone-based program to help reduce hazardous alcohol use
Official title: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for HIV+ hazardous drinkers: A randomized clinical trial
Funded at Syracuse University · NIH-11414874 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A phone-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy program is being tested to help adults with HIV who drink Hazardously cut back on alcohol and improve health-related outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Syracuse University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $533,656 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA030935-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11414874 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with HIV who drink at hazardous levels and are open to a transdiagnostic, psychological-behavioral treatment approach.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals with HIV who do not have hazardous drinking or who are not willing to engage in a psychological-behavioral program may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a telephone-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) program designed for adults with HIV who drink at hazardous levels. The goal is to reduce alcohol use by targeting psychological processes that underlie multiple mental health and substance use problems. Participants will be randomized to receive the ACT intervention or a comparison condition, with outcomes tracked over time in real-world HIV care settings. The approach builds on adapting ACT previously used for other behaviors, focusing on acceptance of internal experiences and commitment to health-oriented actions. If successful, the program could be scalable within HIV clinics to support adherence and overall well-being.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience reduced hazardous drinking and improved HIV treatment outcomes and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: ACT and transdiagnostic approaches have shown promise for related mental health and substance use problems, but full-scale RCTs for alcohol use among people with HIV are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Syracuse University
Syracuse, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Woolf-King, Sarah E — Syracuse University
- Study coordinator: Woolf-King, Sarah E
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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.