Can an online therapy program help you drink less and feel better?
NCT ID NCT05995470
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tested an internet-based program that teaches dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) skills to help adults drink less alcohol and manage psychological distress. 86 Hong Kong Chinese adults who were heavy drinkers and wanted to quit took part. The program was delivered online, and researchers measured changes in drinking, emotional distress, and coping skills.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Internet-based dialectical behaviour therapy-informed skills training
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a scalable online tool to help people drink less and feel less distressed.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study with only 86 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The intervention is behavioral and effects may be modest or short-lived.
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
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86 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2024
- Finished
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Nov 2025
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: * Hong Kong Chinese aged ≥18 * Score ≥8 on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test * Indicate psychological distress as measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 * Have an intention to stop drinking * Have an electronic device and are willing to receive interventions via the internet Exclusion Criteria: * Experiencing psychotic disorders/cognitive impairment/communication problems * Participating in other alcohol abstinence/related psychosocial interventions
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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
Locations
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Hospital Authority
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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