Substance Use Interventions for Truant Adolescents

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Truancy; Socialized; Marijuana Abuse; Adolescent Problem Behavior; Truancy; Unsocialized; Substance Abuse; Alcohol Abuse

• Registration Number: NCT03655574
• Lead Sponsor: Brown University

Brief Summary

This study evaluates a brief motivation-building intervention for parents and teens to reduce truancy and substance use. It is hypothesized that the motivational intervention will result in better outcomes compared to an education-only intervention.

Detailed Description

Adolescents who use marijuana and are truant from school are a high-risk population with increased likelihood of substance use disorders, criminal justice involvement, and long-term impairments in vocational, family, and peer domains.

This study will test a theory-driven intervention for early adolescent marijuana using, truant youth identified through Rhode Island Truancy and Family Courts. Adolescents will be randomly assigned to one of the 2 conditions: a motivational interview versus psychoeducation.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2018-08-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-08-30
• Study First Posted: 2018-08-31
• Study Start: 2019-01-01
• Primary Completion: 2023-10-30
• Study Completion: 2024-04-30
• Status Verified: 2024-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-05-31
• Last Update Posted: 2024-06-03

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 110

Inclusion Criteria

• the target child is in 6th-10th grade at the start of the project and living at home with at least one parent/guardian,
• the teen must report 6 or more incidences of marijuana use in the last 90 days (an approximation of biweekly use)
• by law, the teen must have at least 20 unexcused absences in an academic year to be in truancy court, and (4) parental consent and teen assent are obtained.

Exclusion Criteria

• the family is not able to speak and understand English or Spanish well enough to complete study procedures
• developmental delay, as determined by school placements outside the regular classroom, that would affect comprehension of the intervention.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Quantity of Marijuana Use per Occasion of Use	Last 90 days at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months	Average quantity of marijuana use per day
Change in Frequency of Marijuana Use	Last 90 days at baseline, and 3, 6, and 12 months	Total number of marijuana use days .

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Days truant from school	Last 90 days at baseline, and 3, 6, and 12 months	School attendance based on objective school records
Change in Days truant from school, self-report	Last 90 days at baseline, and 3, 6, and 12 months	School attendance based on self-report

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Rhode Island Family Court; 🇺🇸 Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Brown Univerity; 🇺🇸 Providence, Rhode Island, United States