Online alcohol screening and brief counseling for college students
Evaluating Telehealth Delivery of Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students
This compares a single Zoom session of personalized alcohol feedback to an in-person session and usual campus care for college students who drink heavily.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173724 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would first complete questions about your drinking and related risks, then be randomly assigned to an in-person BASICS session, a one-time Tele-BASICS session over Zoom, or the usual campus intervention. The Tele-BASICS session delivers personalized feedback using motivational interviewing and harm-reduction strategies similar to the in-person approach. About 600 students (300 mandated and 300 volunteers) from two large universities will take part and be followed over time to track drinking and alcohol-related consequences. Sessions are run by trained facilitators and follow-ups will measure whether drinking and harms change after the intervention.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: College students who report hazardous or heavy drinking (including those mandated by campus policy and volunteers) are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Students who do not drink heavily or those with severe alcohol dependence needing more intensive treatment are unlikely to benefit from this single-session approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make an effective, one-session alcohol intervention easier to access by offering it remotely.
How similar studies have performed: In-person BASICS is a well-established, effective approach while web-only feedback has shown weaker results, and telehealth delivery is a newer but promising option.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Houston — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Neighbors, Clayton — University of Houston
- Study coordinator: Neighbors, Clayton
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 below.