Developing Computer Based Treatments for Addiction

NCT ID: NCT00586534

Last Updated: 2015-03-18

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 216 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2007-01-31
• Study Completion Date: 2014-12-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of our research is to examine the promise of a new computer based approach to use in usual drug counseling when treating crack cocaine addiction.

Detailed Description

This is the next part of the project under a National Institute of Drug Abuse-funded R01 treatment development study with the purpose of developing a computer-based augmentation of standard drug counseling for cocaine dependence. This project has received additional funding from NIDA. Specifically, the aims of the next part of the proposal are to develop and manualize a cue-exposure based cocaine treatment using virtual reality (VR) based cue exposure/extinction software and cellular phone-based computerized extinction reminder (CER) technology for use in high-risk situations outside treatment sessions. We will enroll a total of 270 cocaine dependent subjects in order to meet the target goal of 180 subjects in treatment. This randomized clinical trial will be conducted in order to determine the acceptability and feasibility of this treatment to subjects and therapists, and to obtain treatment outcome effect size estimates. Specifically, during the next stage of the study, 180 cocaine dependent individuals will be randomly assigned to receive a NIDA approved Individual/Group Drug Counseling (I/GDC) cocaine treatment or I/GDC plus VR/CER. Matching between treatment groups will be based on age, sex, severity of crack use (using the Addiction Severity Index), and presence or absence of antisocial personality disorder. Treatment assignment will be conducted using a computerized urn matching program by the off-site study statistician. Current psychiatric diagnoses will be assessed, as will changes in crack use. Comprehensive assessments will be conducted during treatment at baseline, and at a six-month and twelve-month follow-up. To measure outcomes, substance use will be assessed via self-report and urinary analysis three times weekly during 24 weeks of active treatment and weekly during six month and twelve month of follow-up assessment.

This new larger part of project follows work we have conducted in a NIDA-funded pilot project over the past four years, developing the complementary intervention. In our preliminary studies (Phase I a/b), we conducted focus groups, an open trial, and a small randomized controlled trial (n = 53) to demonstrate the promise of the novel intervention. The pilot phase I a/b portion enrolled 171 subjects (signed consent) at Duke. 19 of 53 completed the treatment portion. During Phase 1a, the VR and CER technology was developed and refined using two small open clinical trials. At the conclusion of Phase 1a, a treatment manual detailing the rationale and parameters of VR and CER technology was completed. Next, as mentioned, a Phase Ib pilot randomized clinical trial was conducted in order to determine the acceptability and feasibility of this treatment to patients and therapists, and to obtain treatment outcome effect size estimates.

Conditions

Cocaine Addiction

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

I/GDC

NIDA approved Individual/Group Drug Counseling (I/GDC) cocaine treatment

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

I/GDC

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

NIDA approved Individual/Group Drug Counseling (I/GDC) cocaine treatment

I/GDC + VR/CER

Second Arm:NIDA approved Individual/Group Drug Counseling (I/GDC) cocaine treatment plus virtual reality (VR) based cue exposure/extinction software and cellular phone-based computerized extinction reminder (CER) technology for use in high-risk situations outside treatment sessions.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

I/GDC + VR/CER

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

NIDA approved Individual/Group Drug Counseling (I/GDC) cocaine treatment plus virtual reality (VR) based cue exposure/extinction software and cellular phone-based computerized extinction reminder (CER) technology for use in high-risk situations outside treatment sessions.

Interventions

I/GDC + VR/CER

NIDA approved Individual/Group Drug Counseling (I/GDC) cocaine treatment plus virtual reality (VR) based cue exposure/extinction software and cellular phone-based computerized extinction reminder (CER) technology for use in high-risk situations outside treatment sessions.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

I/GDC

NIDA approved Individual/Group Drug Counseling (I/GDC) cocaine treatment

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

drug counseling; group drug counseling; individual drug counseling; virtual reality; exposure/extinction software; cellular phone based computerized extinction reminder; drug counseling; group drug counseling; individual drug counseling

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Meets SCID-I criteria for cocaine dependence; crack cocaine is primary substance of abuse
• Consents to outpatient treatment for drug addiction
• Resides within commuting distance of treatment

Exclusion Criteria

• Full criteria met for psychotic disorders
• Full criteria met for current mania
• IQ less than 70
• Unable to give consent
• Can not read
• Current and chronic absence of shelter
• Impending jail/prison for more than three weeks (problems which by their presence or severity preclude ability to attend or understand treatment and/or requires priority treatment over substance use treatment)
• Court order to treatment or to jail, or agency order to treatment or loss of child custody (due to inability to freely drop-out of treatment)
• Refuses to discontinue current drug abuse treatment or refuses random assignment
• If the potential participant lives with or is in an intimate relationship with another participant currently being treated in the study, they will be told that they cannot participate until that housemate or partner has completed treatment in the study

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Duke University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Zachary Rosenthal, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Duke University

Locations

Duke University Medical Center

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

R01DA026454

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

Pro00011048

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id