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Understanding Alcohol Use in Young Adults with Peer Support

This study is looking at how a health program, called Motivational Interviewing (MI), given with a friend (peer dyad), might affect the brain and behavior of young adults (ages 18-19) who use alcohol. MI involves talking openly about alcohol use, clarifying personal values, and getting personalized feedback. Researchers will measure brain activity (BOLD response synchrony) at the start and then track changes in alcohol use over 12 months. This will help them understand if participating with a peer in such a program leads to changes in both brain activity and drinking habits. The study plans to enroll 248 participants. The current recruitment status is unclear.

Study design
This is an interventional study, meaning participants will receive a specific program. It plans to enroll 248 participants.
What's involved
You and a peer will complete questionnaires, participate in a short health program, and have a brain scan (fMRI) on a "Participation Day." You will then be contacted for follow-up surveys at 3, 6, and 12 months.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for 12 months after the initial participation day to learn about health behaviors over time.

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NCT06115252

Partnering to Enhance Emerging Adults' Response to Programs

Recruiting
NAAges 18–24InterventionalTreatment
UConn Health
~248 participants
Updated 2026-08-25 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Motivational Interviewing (MI)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response synchrony
Measured over Baseline
+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Alcohol Use, Unspecified

Explore related trials

Alcohol Consumption

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Texas1

Study leadership

  • Sarah W. Feldstein Ewing, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · UConn Health
  • Francesca Filbey, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Texas

Who to contact

Karen Hudson, MCR
[email protected]
860-679-1037
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

within the specified age range
agree to be contacted for the 3, 6, and 12 month follow ups
provide fully informed consent

Exclusion

left-handed
evidence of brain injury/illness and/or neurological, neurodevelopmental disorder including psychosis and related medications (e.g., antipsychotics; neuroleptics)
loss of consciousness ≥ 2 minutes
other fMRI contraindications (e.g., unremovable metal on/in body, pregnant)

What this trial measures

  • Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response synchronyBaseline

    Mean BOLD time series will be obtained for each region of interest (ROI) during peer-directed change talk trials and temporally aligned across dyad participants. Inter-brain synchrony will be quantified using z-transformed GLM β-weights within ROIs between the BOLD time series of dyad members.

  • BOLD response synchrony association with behavior change (past month alcohol use days)12 Months

    Pearson correlation coefficients (r) of Primary Outcome #1 (ROI z-scores representing BOLD response synchrony) with individual Timeline Followback (TLFB) past month drinking days at 12 month follow up.