# Feasibility of a mobile parent-based intervention to reduce alcohol use by highschool seniors

> **NIH NIH R44** · REAL PREVENTION, LLC · 2020 · $572,532

## Abstract

The goal of this Phase II SBIR is to provide an efficient, engaging, and effective means to
enhance parents’ ability to reduce prevalence of alcohol use and consequences, and other
substance use through the development and evaluation of Parenting Now (PN). PN is a brief,
interactive, self-paced, and digital curriculum for parents of high-school-aged adolescents, a
frequently neglected population created from the evidence-based Parent Handbook,1-3 available
in hard copy and DVD for college-bound youth only. The curriculum is needed because most
parent-based prevention interventions target children or young adolescents, neglecting older
adolescents, despite that fact that alcohol use increases in frequency and risk through mid-
adolescence. Also, unlike other evidence-based parenting curricula, PN is brief, requires only the
parents, does not require training, and can be used “on the go” through any digital device. This
provides a market niche for the proposed project that addresses this curriculum gap through the
innovative use of both technology and prevention science. During the successful Phase I,
formative research was conducted to identify parent needs and interests, and a curriculum
prototype was developed that demonstrated strong usability and feasibility. During Phase II, we
work with Klein Buendel to refine and complete digital programing. The fully developed PN will
have core and optional modules based on Phase I findings. This format will allow us to
personalize or target parents based on their communication style and allows parents to
customize their experience by choosing or clicking through the optional content. Personalization
and customization are two essential engagement strategies for digital prevention interventions.4
Following development, a randomized clinical trial will be conducted through GfK Global. GfK
will recruit a nationally representative sample of parent-adolescent dyads who will be randomly
assigned to treatment or active control. Parents will complete either PN or be directed to the
publicly available SAMSHA parenting materials as an active control condition. Parents also will
complete an immediate posttest evaluating their intervention experience. Youth will complete a
pretest, immediate posttest and follow-up posttests at 1 and 6 months to assess effects. A
theoretical model of moderation and mediation also will be evaluated with alcohol use and
consequences as the primary outcome and other substance use as secondary outcomes. Results
will guide preparation of PN for the market including immediate dissemination through
D.A.R.E. America’s new high school program as well as REAL Prevention’s other community-
based partners such as 4-H and Planned Parenthood.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9932862
- **Project number:** 5R44AA025293-03
- **Recipient organization:** REAL PREVENTION, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael Hecht
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $572,532
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-01 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9932862

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9932862, Feasibility of a mobile parent-based intervention to reduce alcohol use by highschool seniors (5R44AA025293-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9932862. Licensed CC0.

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