# Smartwatch-based predictors of binge drinking onset in first-year college students: A prospective study

> **NIH NIH F31** · TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH · 2024 · $35,019

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Binge drinking (BD) is defined as a rapid consumption of alcohol that brings blood alcohol content to .08% or
higher, typically described as ≥4 drinks for women and ≥5 drinks for men per occasion. BD is associated with
many adverse consequences, including accidents, physical and sexual assault, and alcohol poisoning, as well
as increased risk for developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD). BD is highly prevalent among American college
students, with past-month estimates of 30% or greater. College – in particular the first six weeks – represents a
critical time for the onset and development of harmful alcohol use. Drinking patterns established early in college
influence alcohol use in the years following, underscoring the need for research into the early detection and
prevention of BD in first-year college students. Certain health behaviors – namely sleep and physical activity –
have been shown to bidirectionally influence BD, though the direction of the relationship is equivocal in college
students. Furthermore, both acute and recurrent BD have been associated with psychophysiological changes,
including diminished heart rate variability (HRV), leading some researchers to conceptualize HRV as a biomarker
of AUD. However, existing research is either correlational or describes the impact of drinking on HRV, rather than
examining HRV as a risk factor for BD, despite conceptual support for this direction. Moreover, measuring health
behaviors and psychophysiology with traditional self-report measures or laboratory paradigms poses
methodological challenges such as biases in participant recall, high participant burden, low compliance, and
limited ecological validity. In contrast, smartwatches – which can passively sense many health variables with
minimal user input – are being increasingly employed in psychological and medical research as a way of
mitigating these concerns. The proposed study will utilize passive sensing via smartwatches in a sample of 100
incoming college freshmen (two cohorts of 50) without a history of BD or AUD prior to the start of their first
semester. Participants will complete a baseline assessment of their substance use history followed by a six-week
smartwatch monitoring period. Throughout the semester, participants will complete weekly self-report measures
of BD accompanied by periodic timeline follow-back interviews and urine ethyl glucuronide screening for
validation purposes. Follow-up assessments will be completed at the end of the first semester (4 months) and
second semester (9 months). Specific variables of interest are: physical activity (steps and logged workouts);
sleep (duration, chronotype, and social jetlag); and HRV. Data collected during the smartwatch monitoring period
will be examined as prospective predictors of BD onset and frequency, with an exploratory aim focusing on AUD
onset. Results from this study will help identify novel biopsychosocial risk factors for BD during a critical per...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11070075
- **Project number:** 1F31AA032186-01
- **Recipient organization:** TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** McKenzie Himelein-Wachowiak
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $35,019
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2025-01-01 → 2026-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11070075

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11070075, Smartwatch-based predictors of binge drinking onset in first-year college students: A prospective study (1F31AA032186-01). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/11070075. Licensed CC0.

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