# An Integrated Personalized Feedback Intervention for Hazardous Drinkers with Elevated Anxiety Sensitivity and Subclinical PTSD

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON · 2022 · $31,054

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 Hazardous drinking and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are exceedingly common co-occurring
conditions that are associated with greater disability, mortality, and poor health outcomes as compared to
either condition alone. Yet, no empirically supported intervention programs are available for this underserved
population and the most promising interventions are limited due to poor retention and high dropout rates. A
transdiagnostic risk factor that may underlie comorbid hazardous drinking and PTSD is anxiety sensitivity (i.e.,
the fear of the negative consequences of anxiety-related sensations). Anxiety sensitivity is a malleable,
cognitive-affective vulnerability factor that is positively related to hazardous drinking and the development and
maintenance of PTSD. An integrated intervention to specifically target anxiety sensitivity in the context of
hazardous drinking and PTSD symptoms has not been developed or tested. Personalized feedback
interventions (PFI) may help to address this gap as they have demonstrated efficacy in reducing hazardous
drinking and alcohol-related consequences across various populations and are brief, cost-effective, and easily
disseminable. The objective of the present NRSA pre-doctoral fellowship is to assist on a randomized
controlled trial (RCT), co-led by Drs. Michael Zvolensky and Anka Vujanovic, aimed at developing and testing
the efficacy of a novel computer-based PFI among hazardous drinkers with at least subclinical PTSD (i.e.,
endorsing at least one symptom in each PTSD symptom cluster) and elevated anxiety sensitivity. The first aim
of this project will be to assist on evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of a brief, single-session,
integrated, computer-based personalized feedback intervention (AP-PFI). The second aim will be to assist on
conducting a RCT to examine efficacy and intervention effects (versus a control condition [C-PFI]) across post-
intervention and one-week and one-month follow-ups. A third aim will be to explore mechanisms of change and
moderators. Primary hypotheses are that participants randomized to AP-PFI (vs. C-PFI) will report greater
motivation/intention to reduce drinking, and lower levels of anxiety sensitivity at post-test. Secondary
hypotheses are that participants randomized to AP-PFI (vs. C-PFI) will evince greater change in rates from
hazardous to non-hazardous drinking, lower frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption, reduced negative
consequences of drinking, and lower PTSD symptom severity. The proposed study provides an innovative
extension of previous research, coincides well with current NIAAA initiatives, and has the potential to directly
inform care for hazardous drinkers with PTSD symptomatology and elevated anxiety sensitivity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10488656
- **Project number:** 5F31AA029600-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Antoine Lebeaut
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $31,054
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-30 → 2023-07-02

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10488656

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10488656, An Integrated Personalized Feedback Intervention for Hazardous Drinkers with Elevated Anxiety Sensitivity and Subclinical PTSD (5F31AA029600-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10488656. Licensed CC0.

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