Alcohol Dependence
Conditions
Keywords
approach avoidance training, attentional bias training, alcohol depencence, relapse
Brief summary
The investigators evaluate the efficacy of a computerised program (T.O.P. tool) consisting of an approach avoidance training (AAT) (to retrain action tendencies for alcohol-related stimuli), a visual probe training (VPT) (to retrain attentional bias for alcohol-related stimuli) and the combination of both training procedures versus placebo training, as an add-on to treatment as usual (psycho-education and cognitive behavioral therapy). The investigators include hospitalized detoxified alcohol-dependent patients, who receive a four week training procedure, existing of a pre-assessment, 6 training sessions and a post-assessment. Outcome measures consist of behavioral measures (consumption of alcohol - self report over 1 year), questionnaires (AUDIT; craving on 9-point likert scale) and approach avoidance and visual probe measurement tasks. A six month and 1 year follow-up is included (behavioral measures and AUDIT). Further, the investigators will also assess credibility (9-point likert scale) of the training procedure before the start of the training and immediately after the assessment of the AAT and VPT training.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALactive approach avoidance training and sham visual probe training
patients receive active AAT training and sham VPT training
BEHAVIORALsham approach avoidance training and active visual probe training
patients receive sham AAT training and active VPT training
BEHAVIORALactive approach avoidance training and active visual probe training
patients receive active AAT training and active VPT training
BEHAVIORALsham approach avoidance training and sham visual probe training
patients receive sham AAT training and sham VPT training
Sponsors
PZ Heilig Hart
PZ Sint-Camillus
University of Amsterdam
University Ghent
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* hospitalized alcohol-dependent patients, choosing for abstinence en committed to treatment * detoxification (with benzodiazepines) is terminated * Dutch speaking
Exclusion criteria
* neurological condition, such as Korsakoff syndrome * cognitive problems (cut-off \<26/30 on the Montral Cognitive Assessment) * psychotic disorders * visual and motor problems at the hands * non-Dutch speaking * mental retardation * patients who are illiterate
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| change in drink behavior | baseline, at 6 months and 1-year post training: change in auditscores between baseline, 6 months and 1-year post-training, and differences between groups | AUDIT score |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| change in Retraining attentional bias | baseline and between 1 and 7 days after completion of the 6 training sessions: change | The effect on a VPT task |
| change in Retraining action tendencies | baseline and between 1 and 7 days after completion of the 6 training sessions: change in action tendencies | The effect on a AAT task |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| change in drinking behavior | baseline; At 3 months post-training: change in audit-c score at baseline and 3 months post training | score of AUDIT-c (first 3 questions of the AUDIT) |
| Time to first drink | assessed at 3 months post-training | Time it takes between finalization of the training and the day the patients drinks an alcoholic beverage |
| Time to first heavy drinking day | assessed at 3 months post-training | Time it takes between finalization of the training and the day a female patient drinks ≥ 4 alcoholic units/day and a male patient drinks ≥ 5 alcoholic units/day |
Countries
Belgium
Outcome results
None listed