Building Undergraduate Coping & Knowledge for Stress-Resilience

Launched by OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · Mar 18, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a new program called IMPROVE, designed to help college students who struggle with heavy drinking and anxiety. The program aims to improve how students cope with stress and manage their emotions, which can lead to healthier behaviors, like reducing alcohol use. Researchers will compare students who participate in IMPROVE to those who receive standard health information. All participants will record their alcohol use through daily surveys on their phones to see how the program affects their drinking habits over time.

To be eligible for this study, participants need to be at least 18 years old, experience high levels of stress, and have a pattern of heavy drinking (15 drinks a week for men and 8 for women). They should also be able to read and understand English and have access to a smartphone. Those with severe substance use disorders or who cannot give informed consent will not be included. Participants will help researchers understand whether this program is effective and how it impacts their anxiety and drinking behaviors.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • report elevated psychological distress (i.e., Kessler Psychological Distress Scale scores \>12)
• • engage in heavy drinking behaviors (i.e., 15 drinks per week for biological males and 8 drinks per week for biological females)
• • age 18 or older
• • can read and comprehend English
• • has access to a smartphone
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • limited mental competency/inability to give informed consent
• • current comorbid moderate to severe substance use disorder other than nicotine