# Targeting Drinking Identity as a Mechanism for Preventing and Reducing Hazardous Drinking During Adolescent and Young Adult Developmental Transitions

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2024 · $633,972

## Abstract

We propose to test the malleability of a promising, cognitive factor that predicts alcohol misuse—drinking
identity (a facet of the self-concept linked to alcohol and drinking)—and its subsequent effect on drinking during
key transitions that occur during emerging adulthood (the developmental period from 18-25). This period is
associated with changes in risk for alcohol misuse (e.g., heavy alcohol consumption and experiencing negative
alcohol-related consequences), which has substantial individual and public health costs. Changes in risk for
alcohol misuse coincide with two major life transitions experienced by a substantial proportion of the
population: graduating high school and graduating college. On average, the risk for alcohol misuse increases
after high school and decreases after college, though there is considerable heterogeneity in these trends.
When considering novel cognitive targets for intervention efforts, emerging adulthood is also a time of self-
exploration and self-concept and identity changes, suggesting that identity-based factors may be particularly
relevant. Our labs have been at the forefront of research evaluating identity and drinking. We have
demonstrated that drinking identity is a unique cognitive predictor of alcohol misuse and that changes in
drinking identity are associated with changes in drinking in the early college years and during the transition out
of college. Key next steps involve the validation of strategies for shifting drinking identity to prevent the typical
escalation of alcohol misuse associated with the transition out of high school and expedite reductions in
alcohol misuse associated with the transition out of college. An extensive psychology literature on the self-
concept, identity motivation, possible selves, and self-regulation provides a strong theoretical foundation for
adapting a future possible selves task to shift drinking identity and, in turn, reduce alcohol misuse. Our
overarching aims are to evaluate changes in drinking identity in response to the future possible selves task, to
demonstrate that those changes are, in turn, followed by changes in alcohol misuse and key risk factors, and
to establish boundary conditions for these changes—e.g., their durability, the most effective task version, and
the need for multiple (vs. single) task doses. We propose to conduct two experimental studies (Study 1: high
school transition; Study 2: college transition) that will be implemented at two demographically diverse sites (N
= 528 per study; n = 264 per study site). We will use a 2 (imagine and write about a future possible desired self
vs. not) x 2 (imagine and write about a future possible feared self vs. not) x 2 (1 vs. 3 writing session[s])
design. The effects of the future possible selves task on drinking identity, risk factors, and alcohol misuse will
be evaluated out to 12 months. Our approach provides a robust test of the task’s efficacy as an alcohol misuse
prevention [Study 1] and interven...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10875380
- **Project number:** 5R01AA030750-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** KRISTEN P LINDGREN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $633,972
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2028-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10875380

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10875380, Targeting Drinking Identity as a Mechanism for Preventing and Reducing Hazardous Drinking During Adolescent and Young Adult Developmental Transitions (5R01AA030750-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-02 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10875380. Licensed CC0.

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