A moderation training web app. for problem drinkers

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goals of this project are to develop, evaluate, and disseminate an Internet (web) application that teaches moderate drinking skills to members of the self-help organization, Moderation Management (MM) and to visitors to their web site. The application will be called Moderate Drinking (MD). MM (www.moderation.org) describes itself as an organization that can be helpful for problem or heavy drinkers but not alcoholics. It pursues this mission by specifying a program of behavioral change with a goal of moderate and non-problematic drinking. MM offers an online mutual-help community via a listserv, face-to-face meetings, and written materials describing the elements of behavioral change and the MM program. The core elements of behavioral change in MM are similar to those of behavioral self-control training (BSCT), a moderation oriented intervention with strong empirical support. MM has additional elements not usually included in BSCT protocols including a detailed consideration of abstinence as a goal, a 30 day period of abstinence with self-monitoring prior to attempting moderate drinking, management of urges and cravings, segues to abstinence if moderation is not successful, and a more detailed relapse prevention component. A self-help organization with an empirical orientation, MM is interested in working with researchers to understand the impact of their efforts and to improve the effectiveness of the help they offer problem drinkers. Developing, evaluating, and disseminating a Moderate Drinking web application could help more members of MM be successful with a goal of non-problematic, moderate drinking. The goals of Phase I are to develop a limited prototype web application and conduct a pilot study with established MM members to evaluate its technical merit and feasibility. A panel of MM professional advisors also will evaluate the prototype. Phase II goals include the completion of the application, pilot testing, and a controlled clinical trial with a 12 month follow-up to assess effectiveness.