Alcohol for Alcohol Consumption

Overseen By Kasey G. Creswell, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Carnegie Mellon University

Must not be taking: Alcohol-interacting medications

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Alcohol problems, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

504 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you are taking medications that could negatively interact with alcohol.

Is alcohol consumption generally safe for humans?

Moderate alcohol consumption is generally considered safe and may even lower the risk of death and disease compared to not drinking or drinking too much. However, both social and moderate drinking can still pose health risks and have psychosocial consequences. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does the treatment 'Alcohol beverage' differ from other treatments for alcohol consumption?

This treatment is unique because it involves using alcohol itself as a way to address alcohol consumption, which is unconventional compared to typical treatments that focus on reducing or abstaining from alcohol use. It explores the relationship between beverage preference and drinking motives, which is not a standard approach in treating alcohol-related issues. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This study examines the role of alcohol use in understanding the dynamics of romantic relationships. Couples will participate in a research session where they consume either an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage and complete study tasks. After the session, participants will provide information about their drinking habits, alcohol- and non-alcohol-related experiences, and relationship factors through brief surveys on their smart phones and again at 6-month and 12-month follow-up sessions. The findings from this study aim to improve understanding of alcohol use in close relationships and may inform future strategies for promoting healthier relationships and behaviors.

Eligibility Criteria

The DYAD study is for young adult couples interested in understanding how alcohol affects their relationship dynamics. Participants must be willing to consume alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages and complete tasks, surveys on their smartphones, and follow-up sessions at 6 and 12 months.

Inclusion Criteria

Both members of the couple must own a smartphone

Both members of the couple must regularly consume alcohol

My partner and I are both between 21 and 30 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

Neither member of the couple has a history of adverse reaction to the amount of beverage used in the study

Neither member of the couple has a history of major problems related to alcohol

Neither member of the couple is pregnant

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Laboratory Session

Couples participate in a lab session where they consume either an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage and complete questionnaires and tasks

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Ecological Momentary Assessment

Participants complete brief surveys on their smartphones to assess alcohol consumption and experiences

14 days

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for drinking patterns and relationship factors at 6-month and 12-month follow-up sessions

12 months

2 visits (in-person)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Alcohol beverage
• Non-alcohol beverage

Trial Overview This trial investigates the impact of alcohol consumption within romantic relationships. Couples are randomly given either an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage and then observed during various study tasks. They will report on drinking habits, experiences related to alcohol use, and relationship factors over a year.

Participant Groups

Group I: Healthy couples who drink alcohol Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Healthy young adult couples who regularly drink alcohol

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Carnegie Mellon University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

80

Recruited

540,000+

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Collaborator

Trials

865

Recruited

1,091,000+

Findings from Research

Moderate or social drinking, while often considered safe, carries inherent health risks and psychosocial consequences that are not solely determined by the amount of alcohol consumed.

The chapter emphasizes the importance of understanding the complex interactions of various factors that influence the risks associated with alcohol consumption, suggesting that a multidimensional model can aid in early intervention and prevention strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Social drinking as a health and psychosocial risk factor. Anstie's limit revisited. Babor, TF., Kranzler, HR., Lauerman, RJ.[2019]

References

1. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Alcohol consumption: the good, the bad, and the indifferent. [2022]

2. Australia pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of routine blood alcohol tests and ICD-10-AM coding of alcohol involvement for major trauma patients. [2023]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Global burden of injuries attributable to alcohol consumption in 2004: a novel way of calculating the burden of injuries attributable to alcohol consumption. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessment of the potential for surveillance of alcohol-related casualties using National Hospital Discharge Survey data. [2008]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Social drinking as a health and psychosocial risk factor. Anstie's limit revisited. [2019]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

'I drink spirits to get drunk and block out my problems...' beverage preference, drinking motives and alcohol use in adolescence. [2022]

7. Spain pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Drugs, a current problem. Alcohol dependency]. [2006]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Global alcohol exposure between 1990 and 2017 and forecasts until 2030: a modelling study. [2019]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Beverage preference and risk of alcohol-use disorders: a Danish prospective cohort study. [2019]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Interventions to prevent alcohol use: systematic review of economic evaluations. [2023]