Alcohol-Related Disorders, Marijuana Abuse, Substance-Related Disorders
Conditions
Keywords
Substance Abuse Treatment, Adolescents, Substance-Related Disorders, Alcohol-Related Disorders, Marijuana Abuse
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a web-based, skills training program for adolescents with substance use disorders.
Detailed description
Substance use among youth remains a major public health problem. About half of all 12th graders have tried an illicit drug and over 72% of this same age group have used alcohol. Rates of abuse of prescription opioids among youth are estimated to have increased about 542% in the past decade. Although effective substance abuse treatment programs for youth exist, they are currently of limited reach. Only 1 in 10 adolescents who need substance abuse treatment receive any care. An interactive, computer-delivered psychosocial (skills-training) intervention has the potential to address these challenges, as it allows for complex interventions to be delivered at a low cost, without increasing demands on staff time or training needs. It may also be highly acceptable to youth and enable widespread dissemination of science-based treatment in a manner that ensures fidelity. In this project, we plan to develop and evaluate the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a web-based, skills training program for adolescents with substance use disorders. The content of this program will be based in a model of psychosocial substance abuse treatment for youth that has been shown to be effective in prior scientific research. It will be provided via an interactive, delivery system that employs informational technologies that are effective in promoting relevant knowledge and skills. Adolescents in substance abuse treatment will help shape the development of this program. To our knowledge, the planned program will be the first interactive program to provide comprehensive, psychosocial substance abuse treatment to adolescents via computer-based technology. This research will contribute new information relevant to increasing the delivery of science-based psychosocial treatment to adolescents with substance use disorders in a manner that is cost-effective and which may promote the adoption of effective treatment.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALUsual care
Participants will receive the usual care (e.g., individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, self-help groups) provided at the treatment site.
BEHAVIORALComputer-delivered ACRA
Participants and willing caregivers will receive a computer-delivered intervention for 12 weeks, based on the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach to substance abuse treatment.
Sponsors
St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center
National Development and Research Institutes, Inc.
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
12 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Clinical diagnosis of non-nicotine alcohol or drug use disorder * English speaking * Parental consent to participate for adolescents under the age of 18.
Exclusion criteria
* Clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders that require intensive level of services, such as active psychosis, active mania or active suicidality * Plan to move out of the area within the next 3 months * Insufficient ability to understand and provide informed consent/assent to participate * Lack sufficient ability to use English to participate in the consent/assent process, the interventions or assessments
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| substance use | 16 weeks |
| acceptability of intervention | 12 weeks |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| HIV risk behavior | 16 weeks |
| psychosocial functioning | 16 weeks |
Countries
United States
Contacts
Primary ContactMichelle Acosta, Ph.D.
Outcome results
None listed