Telehealth BASICS: Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students
Official title: Evaluating Telehealth Delivery of Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students
Funded at University of Houston · NIH-11415624 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A telehealth version of BASICS will be tested to help college students reduce heavy drinking and alcohol-related harm.
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 start | August 20, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $630,248 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA031252-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415624 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are college students with hazardous drinking patterns, including those mandated to receive intervention or who volunteer for the program.
✕Less likely to help
Some students with extremely low engagement or severe addiction may not experience meaningful benefit from brief interventions.
What this research studies
This project tests whether delivering BASICS via Zoom is as effective as the traditional in-person session in reducing risky drinking among college students. Participants will include 600 students (mandated and volunteers) who report hazardous drinking, randomly assigned to in-person BASICS, telehealth BASICS, or usual treatment. The study uses a randomized design at two large universities to compare outcomes over time, with sessions led by trained facilitators using motivational interviewing and harm-reduction principles. If telehealth BASICS works well, it could offer a more accessible, scalable option for campuses to support safer drinking behaviors. The intervention builds on the established BASICS approach, aiming to overcome barriers like scheduling, travel, and private space needs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, students could access effective help to reduce risky drinking through a more convenient telehealth format.
How similar studies have gone: Previous in-person BASICS has strong evidence; telehealth adaptation is being tested to extend reach without compromising impact.
Where this research is happening
-
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.