A Randomized Pilot Trial of a Mobile-Delivered Alcohol-Impaired Driving Brief Intervention with College Student

Alcohol-Impaired Driving (AI-driving) among college students remains a significant public health concern. Counselor delivered and web based Brief Alcohol Interventions (BAIs) have been shown to reduce AI-driving among college students, but to date no study has selected students on the basis of recent AI-driving and evaluated the efficacy of a mobile-based BAI specific to AI-driving. The present study examined whether a mobile-based, AI-driving specific BAI would significantly decrease AI-driving among college students compared to an informational control. Participants were 82 college students who endorsed driving after drinking two or more drinks at least twice in the past three months. After completing baseline measures, participants were randomly assigned to receive either: a) alcohol information or b) an AI-driving specific personalized feedback intervention. Participants in the personalized feedback condition received a personalized feedback document via text containing personalized feedback related to alcohol use and AI-driving. Students randomized to the information condition received standard information about alcohol and AI-driving via a link to a secure website included in text message and/or email. Participants completed outcome measures at three-month follow-up. Repeated measures mixed modeling analyses revealed that students receiving the Al-driving intervention reported significantly greater reductions in driving after drinking than students in the information condition at three-month follow-up. However, differential group differences were not found for estimated BAC prior to driving and alcohol use as both groups reduced on these outcomes at three-month follow-up. The findings of this study provide preliminary support for the efficacy of a mobile-based brief intervention for reducing alcohol-impaired driving among college students.