The goal of the proposed study is to examine whether brief training in regulation of craving (ROC-T) affects alcohol drinking. The study will consist of a basic screening (phone and online), and in person visit to determine eligibility and conduct pre-intervention baseline assessments, 1-4 training (ROC-T) visits, a post-intervention assessment visit, and 1-2 phone/online follow up assessments.The two active conditions of ROC-T are based on cognitive-behavioral treatments (CBT) and mindfulness-based treatments (MBT).

This is a Stage 1B Randomized-Controlled Trial (RCT). 177 heavy drinking young adult participants will be randomized to 4 x 45-minute web-based sessions of (1) CBT-ROC-T training, (2) MBT-ROC-T, or (3) CONTROL (no strategy) delivered over three weeks. Participants will be enrolled for 16 weeks (three weeks pre-, three weeks during, and ten weeks post-intervention).

Inclusion Criteria:

(1) Young adults ages 18-26 years, who (2) report ≥ 3 heavy drinking days (i.e., heavy drinking defined by >3 drinks for women, >4 drinks for men) in the prior month; (3) are motivated to quit or reduce drinking; (4) are fluent in English and have a 6th grade or higher reading level; (5) have access to a computer with working internet; (6) use a working smartphone; (7) can commit to the full length of the protocol; and (8) are willing to be randomized to intervention condition.

Exclusion Criteria:

(1) Current (past 12 months) clinically-severe alcohol use disorder (AUD; e.g., history of seizures, delirium, or hallucinations during withdrawal) or current severe alcohol withdrawal; (2) Current (past 12 months) clinically-severe substance use disorder (except tobacco) or current severe drug withdrawal; (3) serious other psychiatric illness by history or examination; (4) severe or unstable physical disease within the past 6 months; (5) psychoactive medications (e.g., mood stabilizers) that have not been at a stable dose unless determined to be on a stable dose of medication by the study psychiatrist; (6) current use of any investigational medication; (7) color blindness; (8) biological females who are pregnant; and (9) notable dislike to any particular type of alcoholic beverage depicted in study stimuli; (10) Participants who will not complete at least 70% of past day EMA reports in the pre-intervention phase will not be randomized; (11) Participants who cannot understand or follow study-related instructions (e.g., unable to correctly use the intervention strategies, indicate lack of understanding of study instructions despite multiple attempts).

We will adhere to the NIH Grants Policy on Sharing of Unique Research Resources.

In compliance with HIPAA and Yale Human Investigation Committee standards, any data sets that will be shared will not include any personally identifiable information. Requests for data sharing will be considered within the context of ongoing and planned research being performed within the research group at Yale in order to avoid duplication of effort and overlap in data analysis that might compromise communication of findings. Data to be shared will be de-identified and transmission electronically and securely, as we have done previously with investigators at other institutions.