Feasibility results from a randomized trial of a text message–delivered sexual violence harm reduction intervention among college students

Objectives We conducted a Stage 1B pilot randomized controlled trial in which a text message was used to reduce the degree of harm caused by sexual violence. The complete study protocol was assessed to inform future intervention delivery and research processes for a full-scale trial. Methods This feasibility randomized trial compared two text message-delivered intervention conditions: alcohol reduction content and sexual violence harm reduction content. We recruited college students aged 18–24 years who reported recent (past 30 days) binge drinking to participate in the 12-week intervention and to provide self-reported data on outcomes prior to randomization, postintervention, and 3 months after intervention completion. A priori feasibility metrics, including recruitment, retention, intervention participation, and missing data, were assessed. Results A total of 183 college students were randomized to one of the intervention conditions and participated in the study. Two of the four feasibility measures were met (retention and missing data), whereas two underperformed their goals (proportion of messages responded to and enrollment of eligible screened individuals). As anticipated, no statistically significant outcome findings were noted, as we were underpowered for the measured outcomes. Conclusions While the enrollment of eligible screened participants was lower than the goal, we were still able to recruit over 180 of the target 200 participants, and a 98% retention rate made up for the lower than anticipated recruitment. Data regarding the details of which text messages participants were most or least likely to engage with and why presented opportunities to refine the intervention prior to full-scale testing.