Odenton

Researchers are investigating alcohol use among U.S. adolescents and evaluating two types of care to reduce alcohol use and related problems in this population. The study compares a brief motivational interviewing-based alcohol intervention (BMAI) alone to BMAI combined with a smartphone app-delivered mindfulness training (MT). This pragmatic, randomized, controlled trial is conducted in pediatric primary care clinics within a regional health network serving a racially and ethnically diverse urban and suburban youth population. The study also explores patient and stakeholder perspectives, barriers and facilitators to intervention delivery, and factors affecting treatment response over a one-year follow-up period. Participants receive a face-to-face brief motivational interviewing-based alcohol intervention delivered by pediatric clinicians during routine or follow-up visits. This intervention includes one or more sessions involving structured feedback, advice, and goal setting to support behavior change. In addition, participants in the combined treatment group receive eight weeks of mindfulness training through the Healthy Minds Program smartphone app, which offers self-guided meditation and mindfulness practices focused on breath and body awareness and emotion noting. After the initial eight weeks, participants have open access to all app modules to explore additional mindfulness exercises during follow-up. Throughout the study, researchers assess alcohol use over the past 30 days at multiple time points up to 12 months. They also evaluate how acceptable the interventions are to adolescents, caregivers, and providers using questionnaires and interviews. Provider reports identify implementation barriers and facilitators at baseline and follow-up. The study collects detailed information on participant experiences, adherence to interventions, and factors that may influence outcomes. Safety and treatment effectiveness are monitored, with the total participation lasting one year.