None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The aim of this study is to evaluate a new, auto-scoring, instant assessment feedback tool which can be utilized by clinicians during cannabis use assessment sessions. To achieve this aim, a randomized controlled trial will be conducted. Patients who present for an assessment of their cannabis use and consent to being involved in the trial will be randomized to the "instant assessment feedback tool" or "treatment as usual" condition. Patients in each condition will complete the same battery of validated, standardized questionnaires that are routinely administered during the assessment session. Patients in the "treatment as usual" condition will complete paper-based versions of the measures and will receive feedback on the measures in accordance with the clinician's usual approach. Patients in the "instant assessment feedback tool" condition will complete the same questionnaires using a tablet computer. The instant assessment feedback tool automatically scores the patient’s responses on the measures and presents their results on the clinician’s computer screen in tables and graphs, including comparisons with averages/norms from non-dependent cannabis users and cannabis users in treatment. The clinician will then discuss the patient’s results with them and show them visually how their scores compare to other groups of problematic and non-problematic cannabis users. These patients will be given a print-out summary of their results to take home with them. A brief pre- and post- session measure of motivation to change and a brief post-session measures of patient satisfaction will be also administered. It is hypothesized that patients who receive the instant assessment feedback tool will have significantly greater increases in their motivation to change their current cannabis use behaviour from pre- to post- assessment session compared to those in the treatment as usual condition. It is also predicted that patients in the instant assessment feedback tool condition will have significantly higher ratings of satisfaction with the assessment session compared to the assessment as usual condition.
Interventions
Brief name: Instant Assessment Feedback Tool
Why: A thorough clinical assessment with personalised feedback of results is an important component of treatment planning and delivery. For psychological treatments, much of this assessment involves administration of validated, standardized questionnaires. This is time consuming because of the manual scoring and interpretation of results that is required. This intervention aims to increase the efficiency of clinical practice and enhance patient's mot
Brief name: Instant Assessment Feedback Tool Why: A thorough clinical assessment with personalised feedback of results is an important component of treatment planning and delivery. For psychological treatments, much of this assessment involves administration of validated, standardized questionnaires. This is time consuming because of the manual scoring and interpretation of results that is required. This intervention aims to increase the efficiency of clinical practice and enhance patient's motivation to change their current cannabis use behaviour. This trial will evaluate a newly developed instant assessment feedback tool. What: Patients who present for a cannabis assessment session at a public hospital will complete the battery of routinely administered measures and questionnaires using a computerized tablet. Once the measures are completed, the instant assessment feedback tool automatically scores the patient's results and presents them on the clinician's computer screen in tables and graphs. There is a screen which provides a summary of scores for the current patient, and highlights the patient's score on a particular measure if they have met a clinical cut-off (e.g. met the criteria for cannabis dependence). The patient's results for severity of cannabis dependence, negative effects of cannabis use and cannabis refusal self-efficacy are presented in graphs that compare their scores with normative data (e.g. non-dependent cannabis users and cannabis users in outpatient treatment) - which are known predictors of treatment outcomes. The clinician can then show the patient how their scores compare to other groups of cannabis users. At the end of the session, the patient is provided with a print out of their results. Materials: The battery of questionnaires that are routinely administered to patients during the cannabis assessment session measure the following outcomes: cannabis use (Cannabis Assessment), severity of cannabis dependence (Severity of Dependence Scale - Cannabis), psychological functioning and well-being (The General Health Questionnaire - 28), cannabis cravings (The Craving Experience Questionnaire - Cannabis), readiness to change cannabis use (The Readiness to Change Questionnaire), the presence of alcohol and substance use disorders (The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test ), the presence of depression and anxiety (The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale) , cannabis outcome expectancies (The Cannabis Expectancy Questionnaire), cannabis refusal self-efficacy (The Cannabis Refusal Self-Effiacy Questionnaire) and impulsivity personality traits (The Sensitivity to Reward Scale & The Dysfunctional Impulsivity Scale). Clinicians will be provided with an information sheet that describes how to interpret patient scores and provides suggested scripts for explaining the patient's results. Who: Clinical staff who administer the cannabis assessment session. These staff are registered psychologists, social workers and nurses. How: The intervention will be delivered face - to - face and individually. Where: The intervention will be delivered at an outpatient Alcohol and Drug Unit at a public hospital. Necessary infrastructure: To be administered, this intervention requires computers with internet access and computerized tablets. Number of times: The intervention will be delivered once, in a two hour session. Intervention adherence and fidelity: Will not be assessed.
Sponsors
Matthew Gullo
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
16 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Patients who present for a cannabis assessment session at the location of this study are eligble for inclusion.
Exclusion criteria
Patients with severe cognitive impairment or a comorbid mental health disorder that is assessed by the clinician as potentially impairing their decision making will be automatically excluded from the study and offered treatment as usual. Patients under the age of 18 may be excluded from the study if the clinician believes they are emotionally or cognitively incompetent to make an informed decision to paticipant. These patients will be offered treatment as usual.
Outcome results
None listed