Phone-Based rewards could help curb alcohol abuse, early study suggests
NCT ID NCT04656925
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This early study tested a smartphone app that rewards people for staying sober. Participants submitted breath samples three times a day to prove they hadn't been drinking. The goal was to see if this approach is practical and helps people with alcohol use disorder. Only 12 people took part, so the results are very preliminary.
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 intervention using rewards for abstinence)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could provide a scalable, smartphone-based tool to help people reduce or stop drinking.
What could go wrong
This is a very small early-phase study with only 12 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The approach relies on frequent self-testing and may not work for everyone.
Disclaimer
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This is a summary of
the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Washington State University
Spokane, Washington, 99202, United States