ASSIST Program for Reducing Binge Drinking

Overseen By Anna Jaffe, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Washington

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

600 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new web-based program called Alcohol-focused Support of Survivors in Sororities Training (ASSIST). The program aims to help sorority members support sexual assault survivors and reduce drinking as a coping mechanism. It provides feedback on drinking habits, education about sexual assault recovery, and skills to support peers without promoting heavy drinking. Participants will be sorority members who take part in surveys and possibly the ASSIST program to evaluate its effectiveness. Ideal participants are current, active sorority members at universities with recognized Greek life and a physical sorority house. As an unphased trial, this study offers sorority members a unique opportunity to contribute to important research that could enhance support systems within their communities.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that the ASSIST intervention is safe?

Research shows that the ASSIST program helps sorority members support friends who have experienced sexual assault and reduces heavy drinking. The program provides information on alcohol use and teaches skills for supporting friends without promoting drinking.

While specific data on side effects from this program is unavailable, it is likely well-tolerated. ASSIST is an online educational program focused on changing behavior and offering support. Programs like this typically have few negative effects since they don't involve medication or physical procedures.

As a new program, extensive safety data may not yet exist. However, as a behavioral and educational initiative, it is generally considered safe for participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the ASSIST program because it offers a unique, tailored approach to reducing binge drinking among sorority members through targeted behavioral intervention. Unlike traditional methods that may focus on general alcohol education or punitive measures, ASSIST integrates personalized support and education specifically within the sorority environment, potentially enhancing its relevance and effectiveness. This approach not only addresses the cultural and social dynamics of sororities but also empowers participants with specific strategies and peer support, setting it apart from more generic programs.

What evidence suggests that the ASSIST intervention is effective for reducing binge drinking?

Research has shown that the ASSIST program, which participants in this trial may receive, aims to reduce binge drinking among sorority members through an online intervention. This program helps sorority members support peers who have experienced sexual assault without resorting to heavy drinking. Early results suggest that social groups, like sororities where heavy drinking is common, play a crucial role in aiding recovery and reducing alcohol use. The ASSIST program educates participants on how alcohol affects recovery from sexual assault and teaches skills to support friends without encouraging drinking. Although data collection on the program's effectiveness continues, it focuses on the social factors that often lead to binge drinking. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Anna Jaffe

Principal Investigator

University of Washington

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for sorority members. It aims to evaluate a web-based program designed to support sexual assault survivors and discourage drinking as a coping strategy within sororities. Participants must be in a sorority, willing to complete several surveys over six months, and have access to the internet.

Inclusion Criteria

Greek organization of undergraduate women recognized by the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life with a physical house for chapter members

At least 80 active members

Current student

Exclusion Criteria

N/A

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Participants complete a norm documentation survey and a baseline survey

4 weeks

Online surveys

Intervention

Participants in the intervention condition receive the web-based ASSIST intervention, including normative feedback, psychoeducation, and skills training

Immediate post-baseline

Online intervention

Follow-up

Participants complete online follow-up surveys to assess social support, perceived helpfulness, alcohol-related consequences, and alcohol use

6 months

Online surveys at 1-, 3-, and 6-months post-intervention

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Alcohol-focused Support of Survivors in Sororities Training (ASSIST)

Trial Overview The ASSIST intervention is being tested for its feasibility and effectiveness in promoting peer support and reducing harmful drinking behaviors. Sororities are randomly chosen either for this new online training or just assessments without any additional training.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: ASSIST Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants in this arm will receive online survey assessments as well as the behavioral intervention, ASSIST.

Group II: Assessment-Only Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants in this arm will only receive online survey assessments.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Washington

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,858

Recruited

2,023,000+

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Collaborator

Trials

865

Recruited

1,091,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The 'Voice of Reason' (VOR) program significantly improved alcohol knowledge and protective behavioral strategies among 118 students directly trained, leading to reduced drinking and driving behaviors.

The program also positively influenced affiliated Greek chapter students, increasing awareness of medical amnesty laws and decreasing typical alcohol consumption, suggesting a broader impact beyond just those trained.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Peer-Led Training to Reduce Alcohol Misuse and Related Harm among Greek-Affiliated Students. Abadi, MH., Shamblen, SR., Thompson, KT., et al.[2021]

A survey of 3,406 fraternity members revealed that 97% were drinkers, with 86% engaging in binge drinking and 64% as frequent binge drinkers, indicating a high prevalence of risky drinking behaviors.

The average reported alcohol consumption was 81 drinks over 10.5 days, with an average blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10, suggesting that these fraternity members may engage in heavier drinking than previously documented, highlighting the need for targeted preventive interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

High-risk drinking among college fraternity members: a national perspective. Caudill, BD., Crosse, SB., Campbell, B., et al.[2007]

A meta-analysis of 15 studies involving 6,026 college students from Greek letter organizations found that existing alcohol interventions were generally ineffective in significantly reducing overall alcohol consumption and related problems compared to control groups.

However, some interventions did lead to reductions in the amount consumed on specific occasions and the number of drinking days, particularly those that addressed alcohol expectancies and provided moderation strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Alcohol Interventions for Greek Letter Organizations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 1987 to 2014. Scott-Sheldon, LA., Carey, KB., Kaiser, TS., et al.[2020]

A two-hour group intervention tailored for college women who violated alcohol policies led to a significant reduction in alcohol consumption by 29.9% and negative consequences by 35.87% over a 12-week follow-up period.

The intervention was particularly effective for heavy drinkers, indicating that it can successfully initiate positive changes in those at the highest risk for alcohol-related issues.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A group Motivational Interviewing intervention reduces drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences in adjudicated college women. LaBrie, JW., Thompson, AD., Huchting, K., et al.[2018]

In a study of 308 college freshmen, 21% were identified as at high risk for problem drinking based on the CAGE questionnaire, and 29% based on the Perceived-Benefit-of-Drinking Scale, indicating a significant prevalence of risky drinking behaviors among this population.

The intent to join a fraternity or sorority was linked to higher rates of frequent drinking and binge drinking, suggesting that social affiliations may influence drinking behaviors and highlighting the need for targeted prevention programs in these groups.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Problem drinking among college freshmen. Werner, MJ., Greene, JW.[2019]

The adaptive preventive intervention (API) significantly reduced alcohol-related consequences among heavy drinkers, with an estimated 25% reduction in negative outcomes if all participants had fully engaged in the program.

Factors such as precollege binge drinking and social motives influenced engagement levels in the API, indicating that targeted strategies may be needed to improve participation among at-risk students.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Examining engagement effects in an adaptive preventive intervention for college student drinking. Patrick, ME., Sur, A., Arterberry, B., et al.[2023]

A study involving 730 college students over seven semesters found that attending alcohol-free programming, like LateNight Penn State (LNPS), is associated with reduced alcohol and illegal substance use on weekends.

Students under 21 years old showed the greatest reduction in substance use on days they attended LNPS, suggesting that such campus-led initiatives can effectively serve as harm reduction strategies for younger college students.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Is Alcohol and Other Substance Use Reduced When College Students Attend Alcohol-Free Programs? Evidence from a Measurement Burst Design Before and After Legal Drinking Age. Layland, EK., Calhoun, BH., Russell, MA., et al.[2020]

Peer counselors (N=12) facilitating alcohol interventions did not change their own drinking behaviors or perceptions, despite their role in helping others reduce alcohol consumption.

The clients receiving interventions significantly reduced their drinking, indicating that the effectiveness of the intervention may rely more on the counselors' guidance rather than their personal drinking habits.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Do As I Say, Not As I Do. Logan, DE., Mastroleo, NR., Wood, MD., et al.[2019]

The study successfully engaged 97 young women in a group intervention aimed at reducing binge drinking, with a high retention rate of 87% at follow-up after four months.

The intervention, which included fun activities and group goal-setting, was well-received and showed promise in helping participants make actionable plans to reduce their alcohol consumption, indicating its potential effectiveness for a larger randomized controlled trial.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Design and feasibility testing of a novel group intervention for young women who binge drink in groups. Irvine, L., Crombie, IK., Swanson, V., et al.[2023]

A web-based alcohol intervention for college women with sexual assault histories (N = 200) led to significant short-term reductions in drinking and PTSD symptoms, as well as improvements in emotional regulation skills.

While the intervention showed effectiveness immediately after treatment and at the 1-month follow-up, these benefits were not maintained by the 6-month follow-up, indicating a need for ongoing support.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Initial efficacy of a web-based alcohol and emotion regulation intervention for college women with sexual assault histories. Stappenbeck, CA., Gulati, NK., Jaffe, AE., et al.[2023]

In a study of 189 trauma patients with positive blood alcohol levels, 60.8% received brief alcohol intervention services, indicating a significant portion of patients did not receive this potentially beneficial treatment.

Patients who did not receive interventions often had shorter hospital stays or persistent cognitive impairments, suggesting that improving service delivery could involve adapting interventions for follow-up care and ensuring staffing flexibility.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Examining the reach of a brief alcohol intervention service in routine practice at a level 1 trauma center. Turner, BJ., McCann, BS., Dunn, CW., et al.[2018]

The drinking reduction program significantly decreased drinking motivation and problematic drinking behaviors among 58 college students with problematic drinking habits, as shown by statistical analyses (F values all < .001).

Participants also demonstrated increased self-efficacy in refusing drinks, indicating that the program effectively enhanced their ability to make autonomous choices regarding alcohol consumption.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Effectiveness of Drinking Reduction Program Focused on Self-Determination Enhancement for College Students with Problematic Drinking]. Ma, JK., Yoo, MS.[2021]

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06570720?term=AREA%5BConditionSearch%5D(%22Alcohol%20Drinking%20in%20College%22)&rank=1

Alcohol-focused Support of Survivors in Sororities Training ... ... on sexual assault and alcohol, and skills training in behaviors to support sexual assault survivors without heavy drinking. Participant Group/Arm, No ...

2. reporter.nih.gov reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11138316

Leveraging Social Networks to Promote Sexual Assault ... ... heavy drinking to cope with post-assault distress. Survivors often recover within social networks such as sororities where heavy drinking is normative, and ...

3. psychiatry.uw.edu psychiatry.uw.edu/project/alcohol-focused-support-of-survivors-in-sororities-training-assist/

Alcohol-focused Support of Survivors In Sororities Training ... The training is designed to help sorority members learn how to support friends who have had an unwanted sexual experience, both during the initial discussion of ...

4. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/assist-program-for-reducing-binge-drinking-07abe

ASSIST Program for Reducing Binge Drinking ... focused Support of Survivors in Sororities Training (ASSIST) will have tolerable side effects & efficacy for patients with Binge Drinking. See if you qualify

5. reporter.nih.gov reporter.nih.gov/search/QJR-T7s59EKdjpEKXJpfiQ/project-details/10377312

jaffe, anna e. ... support to survivors of sexual assault and reduce heavy drinking on a broad scale. Public Health Relevance Statement. PROJECT NARRATIVE After a sexual ...