Translating Behavioral Economics Strategies to Develop a Mobile Health Mindfulness Intervention to Reduce Drinking Behaviors in Emerging Adult College Students - Emerging adult college students (18−29 years) in the US engage in binge and heavy drinking and experience alcohol-related problems, especially those who are the first in their family to attend college. However, they are hesitant to engage in interventions shown to alleviate stress and alcohol consumption in college students. Using mobile health (mHealth) interventions tailored for emerging adults may address this public health concern. Hence, the long-term goal of this Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) is to launch Dr. Laura Reid Marks’s program of research as an independent clinical scientist with a focus on reducing alcohol-related problems in emerging adults susceptible to academic difficulties This goal will be achieved through a 5-year parallel training and research plan. Training goals include: (1) developing expertise in the theory and practice of T1 translation of the ORBIT model (an NIH model of phased behavioral intervention development); (2) cultivating skills in behavioral economics theory to develop engagement strategies for a behavioral mHealth intervention; (3) implementing novel experimental approaches (i.e., micro- randomized trials; MRTs), to increase mHealth engagement; and (4) building skills to successfully direct a research lab and mentor a lab of students. Training objectives will be met through a comprehensive training plan involving: (1) ongoing individual meetings with mentors (Drs. Naar, Murphy, Nahum-Shani, and Li), to learn from their combined expertise in T1 translation of health intervention, behavioral economics, mHealth, MRT research design, and statistical analyses; (2) courses, workshops, and seminars; (3) conferences and professional development. Skills gained through the training plan will be applied to a project capitalizing on Phases I and II of the ORBIT model in preparation for Phase III. To address Aim 1 (Phase 1), in Years 1−2, we will analyze focus group data collected from emerging adult drinkers at universities to develop and refine strategies drawn from behavioral economics (i.e., episodic future thinking, reciprocity) to increase engagement in a mindfulness application (app) for binge and heavy drinking. To address Aim 2 (Phase I and II), across Years 3−4, we will use a pilot-MRT to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effect of the Aim 1 engagement strategies to engage binge and heaving drinking participants who fit eligibility (N = 40) in a mindfulness app. Participants will be randomized to one of three conditions (episodic future thinking, reciprocity, or no prompt conditions) daily. A baseline survey, ecological momentary assessments, paradata, and a post-pilot MRT individual exit interview will assess feasibility, acceptability, and the preliminary effect of the engagement strategies delivered as text-based prompts in a smartphone to increase engagement in mHealth mindfulness, reduce stress, and ultimately alcohol consumption. The proposed studies will provide pilot data for Dr. Marks’ first R01 submission to NIAAA, to be submitted in Year 5. The proposal is aligned with the NIH Research Career Development’s goal of ensuring the training of scientists to address U.S. behavioral and biomedical needs.
