A Brief Intervention With Instant Messaging or Regular Text Messaging Support in Reducing Alcohol Use: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Alcohol use is prevalent among university students. Mobile instant messaging apps could enhance the effectiveness of an alcohol brief intervention (ABI), but the evidence is scarce.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an ABI plus 3 months of mobile chat-based instant messaging support for alcohol reduction in university students at risk of alcohol use disorder.