Social Influence on Alcohol Consumption

(PALS Trial)

Overseen By Raina D Pang, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Southern California

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, Alcohol treatment, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

200 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how social settings influence alcohol consumption in young adults, aiming to understand the impact of peer presence on drinking habits. Participants will attend sessions to consume beverages, some containing alcohol and some not, and will complete surveys over a year. The study seeks young adults who frequently drink alcohol, have recently experienced at least one binge-drinking episode, and can participate with a same-sex friend who also drinks regularly. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding social influences on drinking behavior.

What prior data suggests that this protocol is safe for participants?

Research has shown that brief exposure to alcohol in a study setting is usually well-tolerated, with most people managing it without serious issues. Common side effects can include nausea, vomiting, headache, and feeling unwell, but these effects are typically temporary and not severe.

The study on alcohol intake and health also examined the overall impact of ethanol, the type of alcohol found in drinks. It did not find major health risks from short-term exposure in a controlled setting like this study. However, drinking alcohol always carries some risks.

In this study, participants will consume alcohol in a lab setting, with measures in place to monitor safety and reduce risks. While mild side effects can occur, the treatment is considered safe for the study's purposes. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores a new way to understand and potentially influence alcohol consumption through social dynamics and behavioral testing. Unlike traditional treatments like medication or therapy, this approach uses laboratory alcohol administration combined with real-world follow-ups using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) and surveys. This method allows for a more dynamic understanding of how social situations impact drinking behavior over time, offering insights that could lead to more personalized and effective interventions.

What evidence suggests that this trial's methods could be effective for understanding social influence on alcohol consumption?

Research has shown that being around friends can greatly influence how much alcohol people drink. Studies have found that in the presence of peers, individuals tend to value alcohol more and consume more of it. One study demonstrated that social settings led to noticeable increases in both the desire for and consumption of alcohol. Another study discovered that alcohol can enhance social and emotional experiences, particularly among groups of young adults who drink heavily. These findings suggest that social situations significantly impact young adults' drinking behavior.

In this trial, all participants will be in a single arm involving laboratory alcohol administration with longitudinal follow-ups to assess the influence of social settings on alcohol consumption. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for young adults who frequently drink alcohol and are interested in how social settings influence drinking behavior. Participants will need to attend sessions with a same-sex platonic friend, complete lab sessions involving alcohol consumption, and answer surveys on their smartphones for a month.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 21 and 28 years old.

BMI of 18-30

Own a smart device operating on the iOS or Android operating system

Exclusion Criteria

Pregnancy or breastfeeding or intent to get pregnant in the next 60 days (females)

Seeking treatment for alcohol use

I have health issues that make it unsafe for me to consume alcohol.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 session

1 visit (in-person)

Laboratory Sessions

Participants complete four in-person laboratory sessions where they drink beverages containing alcohol or no alcohol

4 sessions

4 visits (in-person)

Ecological Momentary Assessment

Participants complete smartphone surveys to assess alcohol use and related effects

28 days

Follow-up

Participants complete follow-up surveys to assess past 30-day alcohol use and consequences

6 and 12 months post-study enrollment

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Trial Overview The study aims to understand the impact of social interactions on alcohol use by having participants consume alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages in controlled lab settings. The effects will be monitored through immediate laboratory observations and follow-up surveys over a year.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Laboratory alcohol administration with longitudinal follow-ups Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

All participants will be in this single arm, which consists on behavioral testing of alcohol administration in the lab, followed by longitudinal follow-ups using Ecological Momentary Assessment and surveys.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Southern California

Lead Sponsor

Trials

956

Recruited

1,609,000+

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Collaborator

Trials

865

Recruited

1,091,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12463762/

Social influence increases the value and consumption of ... Abstract. Background. Previous research has demonstrated the perceived value of alcohol is transient in hypothetical social and environmental contexts.

2. onlinelibrary.wiley.com onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/acer.70115

Social influence increases the value and consumption of ... Social influence shapes the perceived value of alcohol, driving consumption. This study examined how positive and negative social appraisals ...

3. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/394440195_Social_influence_increases_the_value_and_consumption_of_alcohol_in_the_laboratory

Social influence increases the value and consumption of ... Results Social influence had a significant effect on intensity index of demand (F (1,133) = 4.74, p = 0.031, ηp² = 0.03) and on ad libitum consumption (F (1,135) ...

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030646032030808X

Experimental tasks of behavioral risk taking in alcohol ... Laboratory studies permit experimenters to exert rigorous controls on intake, producing greater accuracy in examining behaviors at discrete blood alcohol ...

5. journals.sagepub.com journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/21677026251333784

The Effects of Alcohol in Groups of Heavy-Drinking Young ... Results revealed a comprehensive, multimodal, positive effect of alcohol on socioemotional experiences across self-report (e.g., increased ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7855436/

A Critical Review of Alcohol Administration Guidelines in ... Available data continue to suggest that brief alcohol exposure in a research context does not promote negative outcomes; however, more research is still needed ...

7. samhsa.gov samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-draft-public-comment-alcohol-intake-health-study.pdf

Scientific Findings of the Alcohol Intake & Health Study for ... This study assessed the health impacts caused by ethanol in alcohol beverages and did not distinguish between impacts caused by different types ...

8. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT06627803

NCT06627803 | Social Facilitation of Alcohol Effects and ... The purpose of this study is to understand social contexts and alcohol use. We hope to learn how being around peers affects alcohol consumption in young adults.

9. fda.gov fda.gov/media/131766/download

A Reduction in the World Health Organization (WHO) Risk ... Alcohol treatment effects on secondary nondrinking outcomes and quality of life: the COMBINE study. J Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 70(2):186-96. Manning WG, Mullahy ...

10. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/12199090_Risks_of_alcohol_consumption_in_laboratory_studies_involving_human_research_participants

(PDF) Risks of alcohol consumption in laboratory studies ... For example, a number of effects are relatively common following administration of alcohol, including nausea, vomiting, headache, dysphoria, and ...