A Brief Intervention for Cannabis Use

NCT ID: NCT06395389

Last Updated: 2025-04-09

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 62 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-10-18
• Study Completion Date: 2029-05-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare two brief interventions targeting potentially problematic cannabis use in emerging adults (ages 18-25). Brief interventions are two 40-50 minute sessions separated by 1 week. Eligible emerging adults will complete a detailed cannabis assessment (biological and self-report), followed by one of the two brief interventions, and three follow-up assessments: one immediately after the second session and at 1- and 3-months post-intervention. Assignment to the brief intervention is random. Salivary samples will be collected at baseline, post-intervention, and both follow-ups, for a total of 4 samples, to be tested for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

Detailed Description

Cannabis is the most widely used federally illicit substance among emerging adults (age 18-25) in the U.S., and frequent cannabis use is associated with myriad long-term health, social, and academic/occupational consequences. Despite this, rates of perceived risk of daily/regular cannabis use have steadily declined over the past two decades, and this is associated with increased frequency of use, a risk for for Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD). Brief interventions (BIs) are among the most frequently used approaches for addressing problematic or potentially problematic substance use in non-treatment-seeking adolescents and young adults. Although several cannabis brief interventions have been developed and tested to date, meta-analyses indicate that the efficacy of these interventions for emerging adults is mixed and the quality of studies is low, suggesting that novel approaches and rigorous methodology are necessary to improve efficacy. The current study will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a novel cannabis BI for emerging adults who frequently use cannabis.

Conditions

Cannabis Use Disorder

Study Design

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

Study Groups

Health Education (HealthEdu)

Brief intervention providing recommendations/advice for good sleep hygiene, nutrition and physical activity, stress, and relationships.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Health Education (HealthEdu)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The Health Education condition is a 2-session brief intervention with each session lasting 40-50 minutes and separated by about 1 week (5-10 days). The first session focuses on providing in-depth information on good sleep hygiene and habits to improve sleep and information on positive eating habits, nutrition, and physical activity/functional exercise. The second session focuses on providing information about stress and social connection.

Bloom

Brief intervention providing personalized discussion of values/goals, reasons for cannabis use, and strategies to help live in line with values and achieve goals.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Bloom

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Bloom is a 2-session brief intervention with each session lasting 40-50 minutes and separated by about 1 week (5-10 days). The first session encourages participants to ask themselves what is important to them. This discussion emphasizes identifying values and ways to live in line with their values, as well as why they use cannabis and providing personalized feedback related to their reasons for use. The second session asks participants to reflect on information from session one and consider what they would like to do next to live in line with their values.

Interventions

Health Education (HealthEdu)

The Health Education condition is a 2-session brief intervention with each session lasting 40-50 minutes and separated by about 1 week (5-10 days). The first session focuses on providing in-depth information on good sleep hygiene and habits to improve sleep and information on positive eating habits, nutrition, and physical activity/functional exercise. The second session focuses on providing information about stress and social connection.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Bloom

Bloom is a 2-session brief intervention with each session lasting 40-50 minutes and separated by about 1 week (5-10 days). The first session encourages participants to ask themselves what is important to them. This discussion emphasizes identifying values and ways to live in line with their values, as well as why they use cannabis and providing personalized feedback related to their reasons for use. The second session asks participants to reflect on information from session one and consider what they would like to do next to live in line with their values.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

HealthEdu

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Ages 18-25
• Self-Report report cannabis use on at least 20 days of the past 30 days.
• Completion of an Intake Visit (PRO #94743)
• Submit a positive urine cannabinoid test during the Intake Visit

Exclusion Criteria

• Currently engaged in substance use treatment for any type of substance use or currently treatment seeking
• History of substance use treatment for any type of substance
• Severe alcohol use disorder or presence of any substance use disorder (SUD) requiring a higher level of care
• Significant or acutely unstable medical or psychiatric problems (i.e., psychosis, mania) that would contraindicate research procedures, interfere with safety, compromise data integrity, or preclude consistent study participation
• Significant risk of suicide or homicide

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 25 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Medical University of South Carolina

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Kathryn Gex

Assistant Professor-Faculty

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Kathryn Gex, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Medical University of South Carolina

Locations

Medical University of South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina, United States

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Kathryn Gex, Ph.D.

Role: CONTACT

soltisk@musc.edu

(843) 792-4904

Facility Contacts

Kathryn S. Gex, PhD

Role: primary

soltisk@musc.edu

843-792-4904

Other Identifiers

K23DA058077

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

Pro00133931

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id