N/A
Completed N=124
Decreasing the Temporal Window in Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorder
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04128761 ↗Enrolled (actual)
124
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Dec 2025
Primary outcomePrimary: Delay Discounting (DD) Rates — -4.69; -5.15; -4.92; -5.58 ln(K-value) — p=.60
Summary
In the absence of sufficient monetary resources, individuals must attend to immediate, minimum needs (e.g., food, shelter). This constricts one's temporal window and engenders neglect of the future. In observational studies, scarcity is associated with higher rates of delay discounting. Additionally, socioeconomic status is inversely associated with alcohol use disorder and related problems. Experimentally, scarcity shortens attention, impedes cognitive function, and increases delay discounting in multiple populations. Moreover, scarcity increases demand for fast foods in the obese and increases craving for alcohol in problem drinkers. These data suggest that economic scarcity worsens both components of reinforcer pathology (delay discounting and alcohol overvaluation), thus increasing vulnerability to alcohol use disorder. However, studies investigating the effects of scarcity on alcohol demand discounting rate have been limited. The purpose of Aim 1b is to examine effects of decreasing the temporal window and its concomitant effects on alcohol valuation (demand, and craving) and delay discounting.
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Delay Discounting (DD) Rates |
-4.69; -5.15; -4.92; -5.58 | .60 |
| PRIMARY Intensity of Alcohol Demand |
14.17; 16.22; 11.95; 14.91 | .54 |
| PRIMARY Change in Alcohol Craving |
34.4; 33.11; 32.17; 32.58 | .88 |
| SECONDARY Change in Stress Appraisal Measure |
88.52; 73.49 | <.001 sig |
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- High-risk or harmful drinking (AUDIT>15)
- 21 years of age or older
- Desire to quit or cut down on their drinking, but do not have proximate plans to enroll in treatment for AUD during the study period
Exclusion Criteria
- having a current unmanaged psychotic disorder
- reporting current pregnancy or lactation
- having dementia
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04128761). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication. Informational only — not medical advice.