Alcohol Use Disorder
Conditions
Brief summary
Directly reinforcing abstinence from alcohol with monetary incentives is an effective treatment for alcohol dependence, but barriers in obtaining frequent, verified biochemical measures of abstinence limit the dissemination of this treatment approach. The goal of this feasibility study is to use a breathalyzer and cost-controlling deposit contracts to facilitate a contingency-management intervention to reduce alcohol use that requires no in-person contact between the participants and the study staff during the intervention phase.
Interventions
Monetary incentives are delivered to participants contingent upon on- time breathalyzer submissions and verified abstinence from alcohol.
Monetary incentives are delivered to participants contingent upon on- time breathalyzer submissions only with no contingency on alcohol use.
Sponsors
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* At least 18 years old * Provide written informed consent * Meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual criteria for alcohol use disorder * Express a desire to cut down or quit drinking * Be willing to pay a $75 deposit toward their incentive fund
Exclusion criteria
* Pregnant or lactating * Meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual criteria for other substance use disorder (except caffeine or nicotine) * Score 23 or greater on the Alcohol Withdrawal Symptom Checklist * Have immediate plans to move out of the area
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Percent days abstinent from alcohol during intervention | Percent days abstinent is the aggregate measure throughout the 21-day intervention period | Three breathalyzer assessments will be collected per day during the treatment period. This outcome measure will consist of the percent days when all three breathalyzers were on time and negative for alcohol. |
| Treatment acceptability | Baseline, one day after treatment end, and at a one-month follow-up | Participant ratings of treatment acceptability will be collected during assessment sessions |
Outcome results
None listed