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Cash rewards for sober breath tests show promise in cutting alcohol use

NCT ID NCT06456905

Disease control Sponsor: Washington State University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 06, 2026 · Last updated Jul 07, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether giving people rewards for passing breathalyzer tests can help them reduce or stop drinking. Adults who want to quit or cut back on alcohol will use a smartphone app to submit breath samples at set times. Those who consistently show zero alcohol get increasing rewards, while a missed target resets the reward amount. The goal is to see if this simple incentive system boosts sober days.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Contingency Management (behavioral reward program)
What this could lead to
If effective, this reward-based approach could offer a simple, medication-free way to help people reduce or stop drinking.
What could go wrong
This is a mid-stage trial with 120 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The reward system may not work for all, and drinking habits could return after the study ends.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

120 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jun 2024

Finished

Dec 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 70 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-70 years * Have consumed 3 or more drinks in once occasion 4 or more times in the previous 30 days 3 * Have the ability to read and speak English * Have the ability to provide written informed consent * Have a breath alcohol value of 0.00 during informed consent * Owns a smartphone with an active service provider that is compatible with the study application. Exclusion Criteria: * Severe alcohol use disorder that our medical staff deems too risky for safe participation; * Significant risk of dangerous alcohol withdrawal, defined as history of seizure due to alcohol withdrawal in the last 12 months and/or expression of concern by the participant about dangerous withdrawal * Anyone aged 71 or older. * Anyone with a suicide attempt in the last 2 years. * Individuals who express concern regarding dangerous withdrawal or who exhibit dangerous withdrawal symptoms. * Individuals who do not test BrAC = 0.00 on the breathalyzer during the baseline visit. * Any other condition that investigators determine a medical or psychiatric condition that would compromise safe study participation.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

alcohol abuse Alcohol Drinking

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Alcohol use disorder

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • WSU APPL Research

    Spokane, Washington, 99201, United States

  • Washington State University

    Spokane, Washington, 99202, United States

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