Novel Prevention Intervention Program to Reduce Risky Patterns of Substance Use Among Emerging Adults

NCT ID: NCT06287203

Last Updated: 2025-09-15

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

660 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-04-12

Study Completion Date

2026-01-31

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this research study is to test whether completion of a new personalized feedback program is associated with reductions in risky substance use among emerging adults (18-25 years of age).

Detailed Description

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There has been tremendous advances in gene identification. From large-scale, well-powered genome wide association studies (GWAS), polygenic scores (PGS) can now be calculated that sum risk alleles across the genome and weight them by their effect size, creating an index of genetic liability for any given individual. But genetic influences are only part of what contributes to substance use disorders; the environment also plays a critical role. Accordingly, understanding the development of substance use outcomes necessitates integrating both genetic and environmental information. The rationale for this line of research is that the integration of genetic and environmental information will provide the foundation for precision medicine, and that the provision of this personalized risk information will help prevent the development of problems and/or allow for earlier intervention before problems have become severe. Our research team is creating a new prevention/intervention program, consisting of an on-line platform for individuals to receive their personalized risk estimates for addiction risk, created by integrating information about their genetic, behavioral, and environmental risk factors followed by information about how to reduce risk.

The investigators are enrolling a sample of emerging adults (18-25 years of age) into a randomized controlled trial consisting of 4 conditions. All four conditions will involve completion of a behavioral/environmental risk survey and the provision of saliva to determine genetic risk. Three active conditions involve individuals receiving their personalized risk estimates, followed by (condition 1) psychoeducation about ways to reduce substance use and associated harm; (condition 2) the on-line CBT-based module to assist with controlling substance use; or (condition 3) a follow-up appointment with a genetic counselor (GC). The fourth condition will be a waitlist control, in which individuals will receive psychoeducation only at the time that the active conditions receive their personalized risk estimates.

At the first time point (T0), participants will be randomly selected into one of four conditions. Participants have an equal chance of being assigned to any one of the conditions. Across all conditions, the investigators will measure substance use and problems at enrollment (T0), at the time of receipt of risk estimates (\~8 weeks later; or at the time other participants receive their results (\~8 weeks later) in the case of control condition) (T1), 1 month (T2), and 3 months (T3) after completion of the program.

After the final survey (T3), participants in the control condition will receive their personalized risk estimates. All participants, regardless of their initial group, will be invited to receive access to the content of conditions in which they did not take part (e.g., online modules, appointment with a genetic counselor).

Findings from this study have great potential to enhance our ability to use precision medicine to prevent the development of substance use disorders and/or intervene earlier in the progression to disorder.

Conditions

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Substance Use

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Participants will not be made aware of their condition at baseline; however, they will know their condition once they receives their estimates (or not, in the case of the control condition) and are taken to their follow-up resources.

Study Groups

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Risk estimates + Psychoeducation

Participants in this condition will complete the prevention program in which individuals receive their personalized risk estimates, followed by psychoeducation about ways to reduce substance use and associated harm.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Addiction Risk Feedback Program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

This novel prevention/intervention program will be accessed via an on-line interactive website where individuals receive their personalized risk estimates, based on their genetic, behavioral, and environmental risk factors (part 1 of the program), accompanied by information to help them reduce risk (part 2 of the program). The information in part 2 of the program will vary between arms.

Risk estimates + Online CBT Modules

Participants in this condition will complete the prevention program in which individuals receive their personalized risk estimates, followed by on-line cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based modules to assist with controlling substance use.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Addiction Risk Feedback Program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

This novel prevention/intervention program will be accessed via an on-line interactive website where individuals receive their personalized risk estimates, based on their genetic, behavioral, and environmental risk factors (part 1 of the program), accompanied by information to help them reduce risk (part 2 of the program). The information in part 2 of the program will vary between arms.

Risk estimates + Genetic Counselor

Participants in this condition will complete the prevention program in which individuals receive their personalized risk estimates, followed by a follow-up appointment with a genetic counselor.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Addiction Risk Feedback Program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

This novel prevention/intervention program will be accessed via an on-line interactive website where individuals receive their personalized risk estimates, based on their genetic, behavioral, and environmental risk factors (part 1 of the program), accompanied by information to help them reduce risk (part 2 of the program). The information in part 2 of the program will vary between arms.

Waitlist Control - Psychoeducation Only

Participants in this condition will not receive their personalized risk estimates until the end of the study. They will receive psychoeducation about ways to reduce substance use and associated harm at the time that the active conditions receive their estimates and associated follow-up content.

Group Type OTHER

Addiction Risk Feedback Program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

This novel prevention/intervention program will be accessed via an on-line interactive website where individuals receive their personalized risk estimates, based on their genetic, behavioral, and environmental risk factors (part 1 of the program), accompanied by information to help them reduce risk (part 2 of the program). The information in part 2 of the program will vary between arms.

Interventions

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Addiction Risk Feedback Program

This novel prevention/intervention program will be accessed via an on-line interactive website where individuals receive their personalized risk estimates, based on their genetic, behavioral, and environmental risk factors (part 1 of the program), accompanied by information to help them reduce risk (part 2 of the program). The information in part 2 of the program will vary between arms.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* This study is for emerging adults between 18-25 years who reside in the United States. These individuals must also be English-speaking.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

25 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Danielle Dick, RWJMS

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Danielle Dick, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Locations

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Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Piscataway, New Jersey, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Bohn MJ, Babor TF, Kranzler HR. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): validation of a screening instrument for use in medical settings. J Stud Alcohol. 1995 Jul;56(4):423-32. doi: 10.15288/jsa.1995.56.423.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 7674678 (View on PubMed)

Berman AH, Bergman H, Palmstierna T, Schlyter F. Evaluation of the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) in criminal justice and detoxification settings and in a Swedish population sample. Eur Addict Res. 2005;11(1):22-31. doi: 10.1159/000081413.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15608468 (View on PubMed)

Dar-Nimrod I, Zuckerman M, Duberstein PR. The effects of learning about one's own genetic susceptibility to alcoholism: a randomized experiment. Genet Med. 2013 Feb;15(2):132-8. doi: 10.1038/gim.2012.111. Epub 2012 Aug 30.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22935722 (View on PubMed)

Derogatis LR, Lipman RS, Covi L. SCL-90: an outpatient psychiatric rating scale--preliminary report. Psychopharmacol Bull. 1973 Jan;9(1):13-28. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 4682398 (View on PubMed)

Keyes CLM. Brief description of the mental health continuum short form (MHC-SF). 2009. http://www.sociology.emory.edu/ckeyes/

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Heather N, Rollnick S, Bell A. Predictive validity of the Readiness to Change Questionnaire. Addiction. 1993 Dec;88(12):1667-77. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1993.tb02042.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8130706 (View on PubMed)

Custers JA, van den Berg SW, van Laarhoven HW, Bleiker EM, Gielissen MF, Prins JB. The Cancer Worry Scale: detecting fear of recurrence in breast cancer survivors. Cancer Nurs. 2014 Jan-Feb;37(1):E44-50. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0b013e3182813a17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23448956 (View on PubMed)

Saleeby JR. Health beliefs about mental illness: An instrument development study. American Journal of Health Behavior. 2000;24(2):83-95.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Li M, Bennette CS, Amendola LM, Ragan Hart M, Heagerty P, Comstock B, Tarczy-Hornoch P, Fullerton SM, Regier DA, Burke W, Trinidad SB, Jarvik GP, Veenstra DL, Patrick DL. The Feelings About genomiC Testing Results (FACToR) Questionnaire: Development and Preliminary Validation. J Genet Couns. 2019 Apr;28(2):477-490. doi: 10.1007/s10897-018-0286-9. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30964586 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

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3R01DA050721-04S1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

Pro2023001498

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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