Using text messaging to help young adults reduce harmful drinking
Official title: ASPIRE to Change: Leveraging Text Messaging Peer Support Coaching to Mitigate Hazardous Alcohol Consumption in Non-Collegiate Young Adults
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-10980286 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking for young adults aged 18 to 25 who want to cut back on drinking, and it will test a new program that uses text messages to offer support from friends and help change drinking habits, compared to a standard approach.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $694,658 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AA030986-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10980286 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are non-collegiate young adults aged 18 to 25 who engage in hazardous alcohol consumption.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not within the age range of 18 to 25 or who do not consume alcohol at hazardous levels may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on addressing hazardous alcohol consumption among non-collegiate young adults aged 18 to 25, a group that is often overlooked in existing interventions. The ASPIRE program utilizes text messaging to provide peer support and accountability, integrating cognitive and behavioral strategies with environmental factors. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the ASPIRE program or a traditional Cognitive Behavioral Intervention (CBI) for three months, with regular text assessments to monitor their drinking patterns and peer interactions. The goal is to enhance the effectiveness of alcohol reduction strategies through positive peer influences and environmental modifications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce hazardous drinking behaviors among young adults, leading to improved health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success with text-based interventions for alcohol reduction, indicating that this approach has potential for effectiveness.
Where this research is happening
-
Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Suffoletto, Brian P — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Suffoletto, Brian P
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Nicotine's effect on drinking sweetened alcoholic drinks
This project looks at whether nicotine makes people drink more sweetened alcoholic drinks, especially among people who smoke or drink heavily.
-
Discounted rideshares, alcohol use, and driving behavior
This trial gives some adults discounted rideshare trips to find out whether easier access to rides changes how often they drive after drinking, how much they drink, and how they get around.
-
Alcohol use patterns around the legal drinking age in young adults
This project follows 20-year-olds as they approach and reach legal drinking age to learn how drinking contexts and consequences change over time.
-
Technology-based tools to boost HIV viral suppression for people who drink alcohol in Florida
A Florida team is testing digital tools and an alcohol biosensor to help people with HIV who drink reduce alcohol use and achieve better HIV control.
-
Tracking how stress affects brain dynamics and drinking behavior
A study at Yale will use brain imaging and computer models to see how stress-related brain activity relates to risky drinking in adults.
-
ASPIRE to Change: text-message peer support to reduce risky drinking among non-college young adults
A texting program called ASPIRE helps non-college young adults, aged 18–25, cut back on hazardous drinking by using peer support and environmental tips.
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.