Examining the Effectiveness of Dynamic Visual Noise (DVN) for Reducing Alcohol Cravings and Consumption in College Students

Description

The goal of this clinical trial is to examine whether dynamic visual noise (DVN), a short video array of rapidly moving black and white squares, reduces cravings for and consumption of alcohol in college students who drink alcohol and experience cravings for alcohol at least once a week on average. A second goal of this clinical trial is to examine whether changes in attentional bias towards alcohol (that is, the tendency to pay greater mental and visual attention towards alcohol over other things in one’s environment) is a mechanism by which DVN reduces alcohol cravings and consumption.

Researchers will compare DVN to static visual noise (SVN), which is a still image of black and white squares that has been used as a control condition for DVN in prior literature.

Participants will:

1. Visit the laboratory once to complete the baseline data collection
2. Watch the DVN or SVN every day for seven days (including the day of the laboratory visit)
3. Complete daily follow-ups for six days following the day of the laboratory visit
4. Complete a final follow-up on the seventh day following the laboratory visit