Using wireless handheld computers and tailored text messaging to reduce negative consequences of drinking alcohol
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this trial was to investigate the feasibility and short-term outcomes of a tailored intervention, delivered via text messages to wireless handheld computers, to reduce alcohol-related consequences among college students. METHOD: Forty college students were randomly assigned to one of two study groups. In the control group, participants used handheld computers to complete daily surveys about their drinking behavior and related variables. In the treatment group, participants used the handheld computers to complete daily surveys and to receive individually tailored messages on the units. The tailored messages addressed consequences of alcohol use and were tailored to respondents' reported behavior, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancies regarding alcohol-related consequences. RESULTS: All treatment group participants reported receiving messages on their handheld computers; most students were sent messages on 12-14 days. Controlling for baseline differences, participants in the treatment group reported drinking significantly fewer drinks per drinking day than participants in the control group during the study period. At follow-up, participants in the treatment group had lower expectancies that they would get in trouble as a result of alcohol consumption than did control group participants. Participants provided both positive and negative feedback about the messages. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the feasibility of delivering tailored messages via wireless handheld computers. Tailored messages about avoiding negative consequences of alcohol use delivered via handheld computers had small but positive effects on alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors. Future research should replicate these findings with a larger, more diverse sample, during a longer period, and with other audiences.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In studies aimed at reducing alcohol use among college students, those who received tailored text messages were more likely to report reduced alcohol consumption and increased awareness of managing drinking behaviors.
“In several studies to reduce alcohol use among college students, participants who received tailored text messages were more likely to report a reduction in alcohol consumption and an increased awareness to manage drinking behaviors [49–51].”
From Engaging women with an embodied conversational agent to deliver mindfulness and lifestyle recommendations: A feasibility randomized control trial (2017) · cites this paper as [51]
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Free, C., Phillips, G., Galli, L., Watson, L., Felix, L., Edwards, P., Patel, V., & Haines, A. (2013) · PLoS Medicine · doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001362 · Cited by 1,766 · see citing works
Heron, K. E., & Smyth, J. M. (2010) · British Journal of Health Psychology · doi:10.1348/135910709x466063 · Cited by 1,438 · see citing works
Brief alcohol interventions for adolescents and young adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Tanner-Smith, E. E., & Lipsey, M. W. (2015) · Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment · doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2014.09.001 · Cited by 468 · see citing works
Burke, L. E., Conroy, M. B., Sereika, S. M., Elci, O. U., Styn, M. A., Acharya, S. D., Sevick, M. A., Ewing, L. J., & Glanz, K. (2011) · Obesity · doi:10.1038/oby.2010.208 · Cited by 329 · see citing works
Self-citationKaner, E. F., Beyer, F. R., Garnett, C., Crane, D., Brown, J., Muirhead, C., Redmore, J., O'Donnell, A., Newham, J. J., de Vocht, F., et al. (2017) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd011479.pub2 · Cited by 308 · see citing works
Online Alcohol Interventions: A Systematic Review
White, A., Kavanagh, D., Stallman, H., Klein, B., Kay-Lambkin, F., Proudfoot, J., Drennan, J., Connor, J., Baker, A., Hines, E., et al. (2010) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/jmir.1479 · Cited by 305 · see citing works
Computer‐delivered interventions for alcohol and tobacco use: a meta‐analysis
Rooke, S., Thorsteinsson, E., Karpin, A., Copeland, J., & Allsop, D. (2010) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.02975.x · Cited by 262 · see citing works
A Systematic Review of the mHealth Interventions to Prevent Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Kazemi, D. M., Borsari, B., Levine, M. J., Li, S., Lamberson, K. A., & Matta, L. A. (2017) · Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10810730.2017.1303556 · Cited by 255 · see citing works
Computer-delivered interventions to reduce college student drinking: A meta-analysis
Carey, K. B., Scott‐Sheldon, L. A. J., Elliott, J. C., Bolles, J. R., & Carey, M. P. (2009) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02691.x · Cited by 250 · see citing works
Can stand‐alone computer‐based interventions reduce alcohol consumption? A systematic review
Khadjesari, Z., Murray, E., Hewitt, C., Hartley, S., & Godfrey, C. (2011) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03214.x · Cited by 208 · see citing works
Use of ecological momentary assessment in mood disorders research
Wenze, S. J., & Miller, I. W. (2010) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2010.06.007 · Cited by 205 · see citing works
Orr, J. A., & King, R. J. (2015) · Health Psychology Review · doi:10.1080/17437199.2015.1022847 · Cited by 174 · see citing works
Oosterveen, E., Tzelepis, F., Ashton, L., & Hutchesson, M. J. (2017) · Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.01.009 · Cited by 156 · see citing works
Gardiner, P. M., McCue, K. D., Negash, L. M., Cheng, T., White, L. F., Yinusa-Nyahkoon, L., Jack, B. W., & Bickmore, T. W. (2017) · Patient Education and Counseling · doi:10.1016/j.pec.2017.04.015 · Cited by 139 · see citing works
Suffoletto, B., Kristan, J., Callaway, C., Kim, K. H., Chung, T., Monti, P. M., & Clark, D. B. (2014) · Annals of Emergency Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2014.06.010 · Cited by 151 · see citing works
Witkiewitz, K., Desai, S. A., Bowen, S., Leigh, B. C., Kirouac, M., & Larimer, M. E. (2014) · Psychology of Addictive Behaviors · doi:10.1037/a0034747 · Cited by 134 · see citing works
Review of Smartphone Applications for the Treatment of Eating Disorders
Juarascio, A. S., Manasse, S. M., Goldstein, S. P., Forman, E. M., & Butryn, M. L. (2015) · European Eating Disorders Review · doi:10.1002/erv.2327 · Cited by 143 · see citing works
Fowler, L. A., Holt, S. L., & Joshi, D. (2016) · Addictive Behaviors · doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.06.008 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
Using a Smartphone Application to Promote Healthy Dietary Behaviours and Local Food Consumption
Gilliland, J., Sadler, R., Clark, A., O’Connor, C., Milczarek, M., & Doherty, S. (2015) · BioMed Research International · doi:10.1155/2015/841368 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
mHealth Interventions to Reduce Alcohol Use in Young People: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Hutton, A., Prichard, I., Whitehead, D., Thomas, S., Rubin, M., Sloand, E., Powell, T. W., Frisch, K., Newman, P., & Goodwin Veenema, T. (2020) · Comprehensive Child and Adolescent Nursing · doi:10.1080/24694193.2019.1616008 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Alcohol Electronic Screening and Brief Intervention
Tansil, K. A., Esser, M. B., Sandhu, P., Reynolds, J. A., Elder, R. W., Williamson, R. S., Chattopadhyay, S. K., Bohm, M. K., Brewer, R. D., McKnight-Eily, L. R., et al. (2016) · American Journal of Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2016.04.013 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Short message service reduces dropout in childhood obesity treatment: A randomized controlled trial
de Niet, J., Timman, R., Bauer, S., van den Akker, E., de Klerk, C., Kordy, H., & Passchier, J. (2012) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0027498 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Samal, L., Hutton, H. E., Erbelding, E. J., Brandon, E. S., Finkelstein, J., & Chander, G. (2010) · Journal of Urban Health · doi:10.1007/s11524-009-9415-y · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Examining Perceptions of a Smartphone-Based Intervention System for Alcohol Use Disorders
Giroux, D., Bacon, S., King, D. K., Dulin, P., & Gonzalez, V. (2014) · Telemedicine and e-Health · doi:10.1089/tmj.2013.0222 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Kool, B., Smith, E., Raerino, K., & Ameratunga, S. (2014) · BMC Research Notes · doi:10.1186/1756-0500-7-4 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Newman, M. G., Szkodny, L. E., Llera, S. J., & Przeworski, A. (2011) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2010.10.002 · Cited by 139 · see citing works
- Authors
- Weitzel, J. A., Bernhardt, J. M., Usdan, S., Mays, D., & Glanz, K.
- Affiliations
- Emory University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
- Publisher
- Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc.
- Published
- 2007-07
- Volume
- 68
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 534-537
- ISSN
- 1937-1888 (ISSN-L)
- 1938-4114
- OpenAlex
- W2034816401
- Cited by
- 142
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 4.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5r21aa013969-03)
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (5R21AA013969-02)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
- Keywords
- alcohol-related consequences, university students, text messaging, message tailoring, mobile health, personal digital assistants, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, alcohol consumption, feasibility
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Feasibility Studies, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Patient Compliance, Software, Students, Temperance, Alcohol-Related Disorders, Self Efficacy, Computers, Handheld
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
