Narrative Writing to Promote Healthy Decisions About Alcohol During the Transition Out of High School

This study will evaluate changes in drinking identity and changes in drinking during the transition out of high school in a sample of 528 soon-to-graduate or recently graduated high school seniors via the future possible self task (FPST). We will test whether an adapted version of the FPST can induce change in drinking identity and reduce risk of alcohol misuse. The study will have a 2 (write about future desired self in relation to drinking vs. no), x 2 (write about future feared self in relation to drinking vs. no) x 2 (write 1x only vs.1x per week for 3 weeks) design. Participants will be randomly assigned to a condition. The study will occur entirely online, with virtual baseline and intervention sessions hosted by a research assistant and with online surveys for the 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Participants, who report at least some alcohol consumption and some interest interest in changing or not increasing their drinking, will be recruited, in equal numbers, from two sites -- one at the University of Washington and one at the University of Houston. Participants will be recruited in two waves (264 each wave, with 132 from each site during each wave). The study will test for changes in drinking identity (primary), in indicators of alcohol misuse (primary \& secondary), and in associated risk factors (secondary; changes in self-efficacy, identification with future self, and craving at baseline, 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups