Feasibility and acceptability of texting school-aged adolescents to assess daily substance use among community-based black and white youth. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Banks, Devin E.; Brown, Kanila L.; Carpenter, Ryan W.
• Is Part Of: Addictive behaviors. Volume 135(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Ecological momentary assessment -- Substance use -- Adolescents -- Mobile technology -- Text messaging; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Drug addiction -- Periodicals; Nicotine addiction -- Periodicals; Smoking -- Periodicals; Gambling -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 362.29
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107455
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4603

Abstract

Highlights: High school adolescents showed high compliance with substance use assessments on personal phones. Black youth had a lower compliance rate than White youth but both were above the benchmark of 80% Acceptability of daily surveys was high and no confidentiality concerns were reported. Abstract: Background: Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is well-suited to measure adolescent substance use. Previous research with adolescents, particularly racially minoritized adolescents, has predominantly provided mobile devices to participants as a strategy to reduce structural barriers to technology access. This report examined feasibility and acceptability of a text-message-delivered EMA protocol to adolescents' personal phones. Methods: Non-Hispanic Black and White adolescents aged 14–18 years with mobile phone access and past-30-day substance use were recruited from community settings. Respondents (n = 36; 55.5 % female; 55.5 % White) completed a 14-day diary assessing substance use. Results: Respondents completed M = 13.8 (SD = 1.36) diaries for a compliance rate of 93.5 %. Black respondents completed significantly fewer diaries (87.9 %) than White respondents (97.9 %) although compliance rates were high among both groups. Adolescents reported high acceptability of the protocol, with 97.1 % willing to participate again. Conclusion: Findings suggest text-message-based EMA delivered to personal phones is acceptable and feasible for assessing substance use among adolescents. As the sociodemographic "digital divide" narrows among adolescents, this cost-effective and equitable method becomes more feasible.