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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in Alcohol Dependent Patients

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Alcohol Dependence
Interventions
Behavioral: Community Reinforcement Approach
Behavioral: EMDR
Registration Number
NCT01828866
Lead Sponsor
IrisZorg
Brief Summary

One interesting approach to the treatment of addiction is the use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) (Shapiro, 1989). Although research on the feasibility and efficacy of EMDR on addiction is limited and often lacks methodological rigor, the results are promising and suggest that further research on this subject is warranted.

This proposal consists of two studies to test and determine the acceptability, feasibility and efficacy of EMDR as an intervention to reduce craving and alcohol use in alcohol dependent outpatients as well as to gain further understanding in underlying working mechanisms.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
109
Inclusion Criteria
  • A primary diagnosis of alcohol dependence or abuse (meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV-TR criteria (American Psychiatric Association, 2000);
  • Age of at least 18 years or older;
  • Can speak and read Dutch language;
  • Consent (written) to postponed information given.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Meeting the DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) criteria for current (in the past 2 weeks) addiction and regular use (at least once per week in the last two weeks before baseline screening) of drugs other than alcohol or nicotine (relative exclusion: decision on case-by-case basis whether it leads to therapy-interference);
  • Meeting the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) criteria for current (in the last two weeks before baseline screening) regular alcohol use (at least > 21E (women) or > 28E (men) per week) (relative exclusion: decision on case-by-case basis) (relative exclusion: decision on case-by-case basis whether it leads to therapy-interference);
  • Meeting the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) criteria for current post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
  • Severe, current (since the start of regular treatment) psychiatric symptoms (especially manic, psychotic, suicidal and aggressive symptoms) that may endanger participants or others and jeopardize study adherence.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Community Reinforcement ApproachCommunity Reinforcement ApproachTreatment as usual, provided in out-patient setting
Community Reinforcement Approach + EMDRCommunity Reinforcement ApproachTreatment as usual + additional sessions of EMDR
Community Reinforcement Approach + EMDREMDRTreatment as usual + additional sessions of EMDR
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Changes in number of heavy drinking days in the previous 30 daysChanges in baseline number of heavy drinking days in the previous 30 days, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in patient-reported number of heavy drinking days (defined as days on which 5 or more standard drinks of alcohol were consumed during the previous 30 days, as assessed with the alcohol TimeLine FollowBack (TLFB) method).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Changes in alcohol implicit associationsChanges in baseline alcohol implicit associations, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in alcohol implicit associations as measured by the valence Implicit Association Task (IAT)

Changes in alcohol attentional biasChanges in baseline alcohol attentional bias, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in alcohol attentional bias as measured by the Alcohol Stroop

Time to first alcohol consumptionUp to 6 months post-intervention

Time to first alcohol consumption as measured by the alcohol Timeline FollowBack method (TLFB)

Changes in patient-reported desire thinkingChanges in baseline patient-reported desire thinking, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in patient-reported desire thinking as measured by the Desire Thinking Questionnaire (DTQ)

Changes in patient-reported coping self-efficacyChanges in baseline patient-reported coping self-efficacy, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in patient-reported coping self-efficacy as measured by the Self-Efficacy List for Drug users (SELD)

Changes in severity of patient-reported problematic alcohol useChanges in baseline severity of patient-reported problematic alcohol use, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in severity of patient-reported problematic alcohol use during the previous month as measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)

Changes in biomarker levelsChange from baseline assessment, at post-intervention, and follow-up after 1 and 6 months

Changes in biomarker levels as measured by laboratory tests of serum γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT)

Changes in patient-reported cravingChanges in baseline patient-reported craving, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in patient-reported craving as measured by the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS)

Changes in patient-reported quality of lifeChanges in baseline patint-reported quality of life, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in patient-reported quality of life as measured by the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) and the Community Reinforcement Approach Happiness scale (CRA-HS)

Changes in patient-reported ruminationChanges in baseline patient-reported rumination, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in patient-reported rumination as measured by the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ)

Drop outUp to 6 months post-intervention

Drop-out of study

Changes in number of total drinks consumed in the previous 30 daysChanges in baseline number of total drinks consumed in the previous 30 days, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in number of drinks consumed in the previous 30 days as measured by the alcohol TLFB

Changes in average drinks per occasion in the previous 30 daysChanges in baseline average drinks per occasion in the previous 30 days, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in average drinks per occasion in the past 30 days as measured by the alcohol TLFB

Changes in patient-reported positive and negative affectChanges in baseline patient-reported positive and negative affect, at post-intervention, and 1 and 6 month follow-up

Changes in patient-reported positive and negative affect as measured by the (translated) International Positive And Negative Affect Scale short-form version (I-PANAS-SF)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

IrisZorg

🇳🇱

Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands

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