Tackling risky substance use before it starts
The transition to college brings new independence, social networks and opportunities to use alcohol and cannabis, making the first weeks and months a critical time for prevention.
To help students delay or prevent substance use initiation and prevent increased use during the transition to college, researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington are developing and testing a digital intervention for first-year students.
The project, funded by a five-year, $3.25 million award from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, is led by UT Arlington’s Studying Alcohol and Related Risks (STARR) Lab, which focuses on developing and evaluating innovative approaches to preventing and reducing substance use among adolescents and young adults.
“The literature shows that the first six to eight weeks—and really the entire first semester—are a particularly risky period for students, who are entering a new environment with new opportunities, new social situations, and new choices related to alcohol and cannabis,” said Melissa Lewis, coinvestigator and professor at UTA’s School of Social Work. “What's unique about this grant is that it aims to intervene during that high-risk period while students are adapting to college life.”
The project is designed to reach students before serious problems develop. The research team aims to help students who do not use alcohol or cannabis—or who use them only occasionally—maintain lower-risk behaviors throughout their first year of college.
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The study will follow 800 first-year college students who begin college either abstaining or using alcohol and cannabis infrequently across two cohorts of 400 participants each. Students will first complete a personalized digital feedback program before receiving ongoing support through text messaging during their first semester.
Dana Litt, a UTA social work professor and the principal investigator on the study, said the decision to address both alcohol and cannabis reflects current patterns of substance use among college students.
Nationally representative data indicates that in 2025, 72.3% of college students reported past-year alcohol use and 39.4% reported past-year cannabis use. While alcohol and cannabis are commonly used independently, Dr. Litt noted that prior research suggests that alcohol and cannabis co-use has increased steadily over time. Approximately 20% to 30% of college students report simultaneous use, meaning they use both substances at the same time so their effects overlap, which can intensify impairment and related risks.
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“While some students use one substance or the other, a significant proportion use both, and the consequences can be greater when they're used together,” Litt said. “We've also heard from colleagues on college campuses that both substances remain important concerns. Addressing both alcohol and cannabis helps us meet the needs of campuses and provide intervention content that reflects the realities students face."
The researchers plan for students to receive six text messages per week during the first 12 weeks of school. The messages will provide support as students encounter new environments, social situations and risk factors throughout the semester, the researchers said.
“We're targeting students who are abstaining or using lightly and asking whether we can delay or prevent initiation and escalation altogether,” Dr. Lewis said. “There is a wide range of potential consequences associated with heavier substance use, from hangovers and vomiting to conflicts with friends to risky sexual behavior to poor academic performance.”
The project is utilizing a Hybrid Type 1 effectiveness implementation design, allowing researchers to evaluate in real time both how well the intervention works and how effectively it can be integrated into campus settings.
“Instead of spending another five to 10 years determining whether an effective intervention can be adopted, we’re evaluating those questions simultaneously so the program is much closer to being ready for use,” Litt said. “In the STARR Lab, we’re focused on making sure that what we develop and test can be fully implemented in real-world settings.”
The research team will gather feedback throughout the 12 weeks from students and campus partners, including representatives from Counseling and Psychological Services, Apartment and Residence Life, Fraternity and Sorority Life and other University departments. The goal is to identify barriers to implementation early and ensure the intervention can be sustained beyond the life of the grant.
The research team also includes collaborators from the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Dallas and the University of Washington.
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. With a student body of over 42,700, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 300,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.