Open Trial of a Behavioral Activation Telepsychology Intervention for People Who Inject Drugs
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Enrollment
- 23
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Treatment Attendance (Feasibility)
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The study has two aims: 1) To examine the feasibility and acceptability of administering a telepsychology Behavioral Activation (BA) treatment for substance use among non-treatment-seeking people who inject drugs (PWID); 2) To test the initial efficacy of the treatment from pretreatment to a 1-month follow-up on substance-related problems, readiness to change drug use, and BA. The intervention is hypothesized to be feasible and well-accepted, and within-subject analyses are hypothesized to demonstrate decreases in substance-related problems and increases in readiness to change drug use and BA from pretreatment to a 1-month follow-up.
The study aims to recruit N=25 non-treatment-seeking PWID from a syringe exchange program (estimated treated sample n=15). Participants will receive 8 sessions of BA over 4 weeks, and assessment of study outcome measures will occur at pretreatment, post-treatment, and a one-month follow-up.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Na
- Intervention Model
- Single Group
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •At least 18 years of age
- •Reports regular recent injection drug use (defined as injecting drugs on at least one day in the last week and injecting drugs for at least two months)
- •Can identify at least one goal or area of change to address during treatment
- •Has regular (at least twice weekly) access to an electronic device that can make phone or video calls and has access to the internet to complete online questionnaires
Exclusion Criteria
- •Attending or on a wait list to receive psychosocial substance use treatment
- •<5th grade reading level
- •Impairment due to active psychosis
- •Unable to give informed, voluntary, written consent to participate.
Arms & Interventions
People who inject drugs
People who inject drugs recruited from a needle exchange program who will participate in a psychosocial intervention
Intervention: Behavioral Activation (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Treatment Attendance (Feasibility)
Time Frame: During the intervention, or up to 6 weeks after the pretreatment assessment, where average treatment duration was 4 weeks
Number of treatment sessions attended; Range 0-8; Higher number indicates greater attendance (positive outcome)
Change in Substance-related Problems Assessed With Short Inventory of Problems - Alcohol and Drugs (SIP) Score
Time Frame: pretreatment (T1), immediately after (or up to 2 weeks after) treatment completion (T2), and 1 month (or up to 2 months) posttreatment (T3), where average treatment duration was 4 weeks
Short Inventory of Problems - Alcohol and Drugs (SIP) total score; Scale range 0-45, higher scores indicate greater problems (negative outcome)
Change in Behavioral Activation Assessed With Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS) Score
Time Frame: pretreatment (T1), immediately after (or up to 2 weeks after) treatment completion (T2), and 1 month (or up to 2 months) posttreatment (T3), where average treatment duration was 4 weeks
Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS) total score; Scale range 0-150, higher scores indicate greater activation (positive outcome).
Change in Taking Steps to Change Substance Use Assessed With Taking Steps Subscale of Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) Score (Readiness to Change Drug Use)
Time Frame: pretreatment (T1), immediately after (or up to 2 weeks after) treatment completion (T2), and 1 month (or up to 2 months) posttreatment (T3), where average treatment duration was 4 weeks
Outcome is subscale score on Taking Steps subscale of Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES); Range of 8-40, higher scores indicate greater steps to change (positive outcome)
Treatment Satisfaction Assessed With Client Satisfaction Questionnaire Score (Acceptability)
Time Frame: At the Posttreatment assessment (T2), which occurs after treatment completion or a maximum of 8 weeks after the pretreatment assessment, where average treatment duration was 4 weeks
Client Satisfaction Questionnaire; Scale range 8 to 32, higher scores indicate greater satisfaction (positive outcome)
Therapeutic Alliance Assessed With Working Alliance Inventory Score (Acceptability)
Time Frame: At the Posttreatment assessment (T2), which occurs after treatment completion or a maximum of 8 weeks after the pretreatment assessment, where average treatment duration was 4 weeks
Outcome is mean of all items on Working Alliance Inventory; Range 1-5, higher scores indicate greater therapeutic alliance (positive outcome)
Change in Substance Use Problem Recognition Score Assessed With Recognition Subscale of Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) Score (Readiness to Change Drug Use)
Time Frame: pretreatment (T1), immediately after (or up to 2 weeks after) treatment completion (T2), and 1 month (or up to 2 months) posttreatment (T3), where average treatment duration was 4 weeks
Outcome is subscale score on Recognition subscale of Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES); Range of 7-35, higher scores indicate greater problem recognition.
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in Substance Use Frequency Assessed With Timeline Followback (TLFB) Interview(pretreatment (T1), immediately after (or up to 2 weeks after) treatment completion (T2), and 1 month (or up to 2 months) posttreatment (T3), where average treatment duration was 4 weeks)
- Change in Anxiety Symptoms Assessed With General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7 Anxiety) Score(pretreatment (T1), immediately after (or up to 2 weeks after) treatment completion (T2), and 1 month (or up to 2 months) posttreatment (T3), where average treatment duration was 4 weeks)
- Goal Attainment Assessed With Modified Goal Attainment Scale Score(During the intervention, or up to 6 weeks after the baseline assessment, where average treatment duration was 4 weeks)
- Change in Substance Use Risk Assessed With Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) Score(from Pretreatment up to 2 months posttreatment)
- Environmental Reward Assessed With Environmental Reward Observation Scale (EROS) Score(pretreatment (T1), immediately after (or up to 2 weeks after) treatment completion (T2), and 1 month (or up to 2 months) posttreatment (T3), where average treatment duration was 4 weeks)
- Change in Depressive Symptoms Assessed With Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9 Depression) Score(pretreatment (T1), immediately after (or up to 2 weeks after) treatment completion (T2), and 1 month (or up to 2 months) posttreatment (T3), where average treatment duration was 4 weeks)
- Change in HIV Risk Behaviors Assessed With HIV Risk Behavior Scale (HRBS) Score(pretreatment (T1), immediately after (or up to 2 weeks after) treatment completion (T2), and 1 month (or up to 2 months) posttreatment (T3), where average treatment duration was 4 weeks)