A Pilot Study of a Quantitative Approach to Reduce Binge Drinking in Young Adults: Know Your Numbers

Existing binge drinking reduction interventions such as brief intervention and personalized normative feedback have shown modest impact. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility (recruitment and retention rates), acceptability, and preliminary efficacy testing of a short-term "Know Your Numbers" (KYN) intervention on motivating young adults to reduce their engagement in binge drinking.

Young adults (N = 94, mean age = 21 years) with a history of binge drinking received a 4-week KYN intervention that included information about their U.S. Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (USAUDIT) scores and the alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth) level in relationship to different risk levels of alcohol use. At baseline and 4 weeks, measures included USAUDIT scores, PEth levels, motivation (Alcohol Contemplation Ladder), and other drinking measures. Focus groups were conducted at 4 weeks for feedback on the KYN approach.

The recruitment rate was 82.26% (retention rate = 76.9%). At 4 weeks, there was a 62% increase in contemplation scores (indicating higher motivation), a decrease in USAUDIT scores, and an increase in the percentage of participants classified as low-risk drinkers. No differences were found between baseline and 4-week PEth levels or number of binge episodes. Focus group results revealed satisfaction with the KYN approach but the need to understand how PEth levels and USAUDIT scores corresponded to health consequences and alcohol use levels.

Results from this pilot study support the acceptability and potential use of a KYN approach in helping young adults understand their drinking levels.