Using Mobile-based Contingency Management to Promote Daily Self-monitoring of Pain Severity and Prescription Opioid Use in a Primary Care Sample of Chronic Pain Patients

Prescription (Rx) opioid misuse is a significant public health problem and the CDC has declared an opioid epidemic (Dowell, Haegerich, & Chou, 2016). Chronic pain patients, often prescribed opioids for pain management, represent a particularly vulnerable population (e.g., Boscarino et al., 2011). Responsible opioid prescribing depends on effective identification of misuse and comprehensive understanding of pain-related variables (Dowell, Haegerich, & Chou, 2016). Self-report tracking via smartphone apps is a promising solution, but difficulties with adherence have been found to impede the use of remote self-monitoring among chronic pain patients (e.g., Jamison et al., 2016), even with the inclusion of non-monetary rewards (Jamison et al., 2017). One robust strategy for improving adherence is contingency management (CM). While CM has been widely used in research, the translation to clinical practice has met with resistance due, in large part, to practical barriers (e.g., Carroll, 2014).

As a Stage 1 behavioral therapies development project (Rounsaville et al., 2001), the goal of this study is to examine the efficacy and feasibility of CM, delivered using a novel, fully automated CM app (DynamiCare), to promote daily self-monitoring of pain symptom severity and related variables (e.g., mood, sleep), as well as Rx opioid, alcohol, marijuana, cannabidiol (CBD), and Rx benzodiazepine use in a sample of chronic pain patients. The target behavior will be objectively defined as completing daily self-monitoring surveys via the app for which those randomized to CM will earn incentives.

Participants will complete baseline assessment, followed by random assignment to either the experimental (CM) or control (C) group. All participants will then download the app onto their smartphone and be provided with instruction in its use. Based on the work by Petry et al. (2005) and Olmstead and Petry (2009), the CM group will receive reinforcement escalating with continuous performance of the target behavior while the C group will be asked to complete the survey, but will not receive incentivizes. Both groups will receive reminders to complete the daily survey. Follow-up assessments (including behavioral and psychological measures) will occur at intervention completion (28-days post-randomization) and both CM and C group members will be compensated for their time and effort.

The specific aims of this project are to: 1) Compare number of completed daily self-monitoring surveys in CM and C groups; 2) Compare longest sustained period of daily survey completion in CM and C groups; 3) Examine agreement between daily survey and 28-day follow-up visit reports of Rx opioid, alcohol, marijuana, cannabidiol (CBD), and Rx benzodiazepine use in CM and C groups; 4) Examine feasibility and acceptability of CM app implementation targeting self-monitoring of pain severity, related factors, and Rx opioid, alcohol, marijuana, cannabidiol (CBD), and Rx benzodiazepine use; and 5) Estimate effect-size to be used to perform power analyses and sample size calculations as part of the design of a larger RCT.