Helping parents protect teens from social media influences on drinking
Official title: A Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness Implementation Trial of a Parent-Based Intervention to Address Social Media Influences on Adolescent Alcohol Outcomes
Funded at University of Texas Arlington · NIH-11296254 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares a parent handbook with social-media tips to a version that also gives teens personalized feedback to help reduce alcohol use among adolescents about 12–20 years old.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Arlington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Arlington, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $720,437 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AA032003-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11296254 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are families with adolescents about 12–20 years old who use social media and whose parents are willing to engage with a prevention handbook.
✕Less likely to help
Teens with existing severe alcohol use disorder, those outside the adolescent age range, or those who do not use social media may not benefit from these prevention approaches.
What this research studies
You and your teen would be invited to try a parent-based program focused on how social media affects teen drinking. Parents get clear, user-friendly handbooks with social media examples and practical tips, and some teens would receive personalized feedback based on their own social media and attitudes. Researchers will follow families over time to compare drinking behavior, attitudes, and how well each approach can be delivered in real-world settings. The team will also gather feedback from families and providers to see which approach is easier to use and keep up with.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give parents practical tools and tailored teen feedback to reduce social-media-driven alcohol use and related harms.
How similar studies have gone: Parent-based alcohol programs have shown benefits in prior studies and early pilot work adding social media content was promising, though combining parent materials with teen personalized feedback is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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University of Texas Arlington
Arlington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Litt, Dana M. — University of Texas Arlington
- Study coordinator: Litt, Dana M.
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.