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Cited by 23Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesImpact of Technology on AdolescentsSocial Media in Health Education

A randomized controlled trial of social media interventions for risky drinking among adolescents and emerging adults

Open access
Bonar, Erin E., Bauermeister, José A., Blow, Frederic C., Bohnert, Amy S.B., Bourque, Carrie, Coughlin, Lara N., Davis, Alan K., Florimbio, Autumn Rae +4 more·2022·Drug and Alcohol Dependence
DOI 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109532PMC PMC9745675
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Abstract

Purpose Alcohol use among adolescents and emerging adults is an important public health issue requiring prevention approaches. Herein, we describe outcomes from a randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of group-based social media interventions targeting risky drinking among youth.Procedures Using social media advertisements to screen potential participants, we recruited 955 youth (ages 16-24) reporting recent risky drinking. After completing a baseline assessment, participants were randomized to 8-week secret Facebook group conditions: Social Media Intervention + Incentives for engagement, Social Media Intervention only, and attention-placebo control. Electronic coaches trained in motivational interviewing facilitated interaction in intervention groups. Primary outcomes include past 3-month alcohol use and consequences over 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Secondary outcomes include other drug use, consequences, and impaired driving. We also measured intervention engagement and acceptability.Results The interventions were well-received, with significantly greater acceptability ratings and engagement in the SMI+I condition relative to other groups. In adjusted analyses, there were no significant differences between interventions and control on alcohol-related outcomes, with all groups showing reductions. Regarding secondary outcomes (70.4% used other drugs), compared to control, the incentivized group reduced other drug use, consequences, and cannabis-impaired driving; the non-incentivized group did not significantly differ from the control condition.Conclusions Among this predominantly poly-substance using sample, findings were mixed, with significant effects of the incentivized social media intervention on drug (but not alcohol) outcomes. Future studies are needed to further refine social media-delivered interventions to reduce alcohol and other drug use.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02809586; University of Michigan HUM#00102242.

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1 of the 78 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Kadden R, Carroll K, Donovan D, Cooney N, Monti P, Abrams D, Litt M, Hester R, 2003. Cognitive Behavioral-Coping Skills Therapy Manual, in: Mattsson ME (Ed.) Project MATCH Monograph Series. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD.
  2. Miller WR, Rollnick S, 1991. Motivational Interviewing. Preparing people to change addictive behavior. The Guilford Press, New York.

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Authors
Bonar, E. E., Bauermeister, J. A., Blow, F. C., Bohnert, A. S. B., Bourque, C., Coughlin, L. N., Davis, A. K., Florimbio, A. R., Goldstick, J. E., Wisnieski, D. M., Young, S. D., & Walton, M. A.
Affiliations
  • University of Michigan (US)
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
  • Johns Hopkins University (US)
  • University of California, Irvine (US)
Corresponding author
Bonar, Erin E.
ORCID
Venue
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2022-08
Volume
237
Pages
109532
ISSN
0376-8716 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109532
PMC
PMC9745675
OpenAlex
W4283707811
Cited by
23
References
78
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 1
FWCI
3.25
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Drug and Alcohol Dependence (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R01AA024175, T32AA007477, K23AA028232)
  • Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
  • Social Sciences › Health › Social Media in Health Education
Keywords
hazardous drinking, adolescent alcohol use, emerging adults, social media interventions, Facebook groups, motivational interviewing, incentives, alcohol-related consequences, cannabis-impaired driving, polydrug use, intervention engagement, treatment acceptability
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Humans, Motivation, Substance-Related Disorders, Young Adult, Social Media, Motivational Interviewing

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