Testing the Feasibility and Acceptability of Social Media and Digital Therapeutics to Decrease Vaping Behaviors
Who can join
Ages 15 to 25 · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * US Resident * English Speaking * Have daily access to a smartphone * Current vaping product user (P30D) * Identified as socially networking about a desire to quit vaping and/or experiencing negative health outcomes due to vaping * Vaping product user only (i.e., not using vaping as a means to support combustible smoking cessation)
About the study
Use of vaping products (e.g., electronic nicotine delivery systems, e-cigarettes) has been increasing rapidly, particularly among teens and young adults. With limited information on the long-term effects of vaping products, health information about vaping has been somewhat unclear in regards to associated health risks. Teens and young adults may be reluctant to disclose their use of vaping products to parents or health providers and instead turn to social media to share and seek out information regarding vaping risks and cessation supports. Thus, our current proposal outlines the use of social media to identify teens and young adults socially networking about vaping, the use of an online chatbot screen to evaluate individual cessation support needs, and the use of a digital intervention system to support vaping cessation. The mobile intervention used in this study is based on a widely-used evidence-based mobile intervention for combustible smoking (i.e., quitSTART) and has been adapted for vaping and young adults to include an in-app chatbot to guide users to tailored content and to motivate and encourage their cessation efforts. We aim to integrate our social media recruitment and online screening approach to connect individuals with this mobile app intervention, and will conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate user engagement with and preliminary efficacy of the digital intervention on reducing vaping behaviors among teens and young adults.
What is being tested
- quitSTART Mobile Application (device)
- Chatbot Feature in quitSTART Mobile Application (behavioral)
Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine · Participants: 189 · Started: Jun 4, 2025
Contact the study team
- Patricia Cavazos-Rehg, PhD · Phone: 314-362-2152
- Erin Kasson, MSW · Phone: 314-362-9003
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT05994209
Locations in the U.S.
| Missouri | Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St Louis |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.