Pilot Study on Training Emerging Adults Skills in Navigating College

Summary

Lifetime risk for developing an alcohol use disorder increases with earlier onset of alcohol consumption. This risk may reflect a tendency for escalated alcohol intake among youth due to immature executive control, leading to more frequent binge drinking, which is associated with more alcohol-related problems. Binge drinking is associated with deficits in behavioral flexibility, which may suggest impaired control networks that contribute to automatic behavior. Individuals with an alcohol or substance use disorder (A/SUD) exhibit attentional bias toward drug- or alcohol-related stimuli that have attained salience through consistent use. Reward history increases attention towards non-drug stimuli, even among individuals with no lifetime A/SUD. Preliminary data (from Dr. Boettiger's lab) from a nationally representative US adult sample using data collected via Prolific found that a questionnaire measure of mindfulness moderates the relationship between alcohol misuse and attention to reward. Given evidence that heavy alcohol drinking impairs behavioral flexibility, which in turn promotes escalating intake, insight into the relationship between mindfulness and behavioral flexibility could inspire new strategies to prevent alcohol and substance use disorders in people at elevated risk.

Conditions

• Alcohol Abuse
• Cognitive Deficit in Attention

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Koru Mindfulness (KM) Training

The Koru Basic curriculum consists of four weekly interactive 75-minute classes delivered online through Zoom. Each class consists of an overview of 2-3 skills, group practice of the skills, and group reflection. Topics discussed during each training visit include: belly breathing, dynamic breathing, body scan (week 1); walking meditation, gatha (week 2); guided imagery, labeling thoughts (week 3); eating meditation, and labeling feelings (week 4). Participants are instructed to practice a skill for 10 minutes/day and log any reflection on that practice using the Koru phone application.

BEHAVIORAL

Navigating College (NC) Training

With topics discussed from the Freshman Survival Guide book, this training provides a closely matched active control group for KM Training. The training consists of four weekly 75-minute classes delivered online through Zoom. Each class consists of lecture and group discussions on topics related to navigating college. Topics discussed during each training visit include: habits, roommate issues, homesickness, the internet (week 1); strategies when sinking, study skills, getting involved, habit formation (week 2); HALT, gateway habit (week 3); and academic success tips, taking notes, and procrastination (week 4). Participants are instructed to journal about learned information and skills for 10 minutes/day.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute

  collaborator OTHER

• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Charlotte Boettiger, PhD · University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

19 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-09-11

Primary Completion

2023-12-20

Completion

2023-12-20

Countries

• United States

Study Locations