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Clinical Trials/NCT06718491
NCT06718491
Recruiting
Phase 2

Brief Digitally-Enhanced Intervention for Managing Emotional Pain and Reducing Alcohol Use During Medication for OUD

Ohio State University1 site in 1 country80 target enrollmentAugust 1, 2025

Overview

Phase
Phase 2
Intervention
Not specified
Conditions
Opioid Use Disorder
Sponsor
Ohio State University
Enrollment
80
Locations
1
Primary Endpoint
Alcohol Use
Status
Recruiting
Last Updated
8 months ago

Overview

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to reduce heavy drinking and enhance medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) outcomes in individuals receiving MOUD. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Does the brief, digitally-enhanced, virtual psychotherapeutic intervention, called Managing Physical Reactions to Overwhelming Emotions (IMPROVE), impact daily alcohol use and MOUD adherence?
  • Does the intervention change self-report and physiological responses to intolerance to uncertainty and anxiety sensitivity?

Researchers will compare IMPROVE to a control intervention (health education treatment) to see if IMPROVE impacts daily alcohol use and MOUD adherence.

Participants will:

  • Complete a baseline electroencephalography (EEG) and self-report questionnaires.
  • Complete three one-hour intervention sessions (IMPROVE or control) each one week a part.
  • Complete a post-intervention EEG and self-report questionnaires.
  • Complete five ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys a day for 21 days.
  • Complete self-report questionnaires one-month after their last intervention session.
Registry
clinicaltrials.gov
Start Date
August 1, 2025
End Date
July 1, 2027
Last Updated
8 months ago
Study Type
Interventional
Study Design
Parallel
Sex
All

Investigators

Responsible Party
Principal Investigator
Principal Investigator

Stephanie M Gorka, PhD

Associate Professor

Ohio State University

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Enrolled in outpatient medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) program (within the past month)
  • Heavy alcohol user defined using the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) criteria (i.e., consume 8+/15+ drinks per week \[women/men\] with at least two binge episodes \[4/5+ drinks for women/men in a 2 hour period\] in the past month)
  • Elevated psychological distress defined as a total score of \> 12 on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10; 0 to 40 range)
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Can read and comprehend English

Exclusion Criteria

  • Do not pass the informed decision-making capacity screener, suggesting cognitive impairment or an inability to provide informed consent
  • Presence of a psychiatric or medical condition that would prevent them from providing informed consent or participating in the treatments (e.g., psychosis, mania, acute intoxication)
  • Current comorbid moderate to severe substance use disorder other than alcohol and opioids
  • Limited or no access to a smart phone that is compatible with the mobile application
  • Participation in Phase One
  • Possibility of being pregnant (by self-report)
  • Current suicidal or homicidal intent indicating a need for immediate hospitalization or treatment as determined by clinical interviewer

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Alcohol Use

Time Frame: Change from baseline to post-treatment (week 4)

Changes in proportion of heavy drinking days and drinks per drinking day following the intervention.

Startle eyeblink potentiation during unpredictable threat

Time Frame: Change from baseline to post-treatment (week 4)

Startle eyeblink potentiation will be collected during the No-, Predictable-, Unpredictable -Threat (NPU) startle paradigm. Startle is a cross-species index of aversive reactivity. Startle during unpredictable threat is an objective indicator of response to uncertain stress.

Self-reported Intolerance of Uncertainty

Time Frame: Change from baseline to post-treatment (week 4)

The Intolerance of Uncertainty- Short Form is a gold-standard self-report assessment. Subscale scores on the measure range from 7-35 for 'prospective intolerance of uncertainty' and 5-25 for 'inhibitory intolerance of uncertainty', with higher scores indicating greater intolerance of uncertainty.

Late positive potential when viewing anxiety sensitivity evoking images

Time Frame: Change from baseline to post-treatment (week 4)

The late positive potential will be collected from the emotional picture paradigm. The late positive potential captures emotional reactivity. Emotional reactivity to a battery of anxiety sensitivity-evoking images is an objective indicator of response to bodily anxiety sensations.

Self-reported Anxiety Sensitivity

Time Frame: Change from baseline to post-treatment (week 4)

The Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 scale is a gold standard self-report assessment. Scores range from 0 to 72 where higher scores indicate higher anxiety sensitivity.

Secondary Outcomes

  • Medication Adherence(Change from baseline to post-treatment (week 4))
  • Distress-related alcohol use(Assessed multiple times a day for 21 days)
  • Daily alcohol craving(Assessed multiple times a day for 21 days)

Study Sites (1)

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