Feeling broke may fuel alcohol cravings, study finds
NCT ID NCT04128761
First seen Jan 05, 2026 · Last updated Jun 23, 2026 · Updated 34 times
Summary
This study looked at whether thinking about financial scarcity changes how people with alcohol use disorder value alcohol and make decisions. 124 adults who wanted to cut down on drinking listened to either a story about scarcity or a neutral story. Researchers then measured their alcohol cravings, how much they'd pay for drinks, and their tendency to choose immediate rewards over future ones. The goal was to understand how economic stress might worsen drinking habits.
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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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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Roanoke, Virginia, 24016, United States
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
What this could lead to
If successful, this research could help explain why financial stress worsens alcohol problems and point toward new behavioral strategies to support recovery.
What could go wrong
This is a small, completed behavioral study, not a treatment trial. The findings may not apply to everyone with alcohol use disorder, and the effects of scarcity narratives may not translate to real-world changes in drinking.
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.