Helping college students maintain reduced alcohol use after brief interventions

Promoting Maintenance of Behavior Change Following Brief Alcohol Intervention

NIH-funded research University of Massachusetts Amherst · NIH-10897215

This study is looking to help college students who drink heavily and have broken school rules about alcohol by finding better ways to support them in cutting back on their drinking and keeping it that way over time.

Quick facts

Grant typeCareer grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Hadley, United States)
Project IDNIH-10897215 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on college students who struggle with heavy alcohol use, particularly those who have violated university alcohol policies. It aims to enhance brief motivational interventions that initially reduce alcohol consumption but often see a decline in effectiveness over time. The study will utilize a systematic review to identify effective strategies for maintaining reduced drinking and will implement a multiphase optimization strategy to develop and test these interventions. Participants will include mandated students who will receive tailored support to help them sustain their behavior change.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are college students who have been mandated to participate due to violations of alcohol policies and are at risk for heavy drinking.

Not a fit: Patients who do not engage in alcohol use or who are not college students may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective interventions that help college students maintain lower levels of alcohol consumption, improving their overall health and academic performance.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that brief motivational interventions can reduce alcohol use, but this approach aims to build on that success by focusing on long-term maintenance of behavior change.

Where this research is happening

Hadley, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.