Efficacy Trial of Warrior Check-Up

Alcohol Dependence Clinical Trial

Official title:

Motivating Treatment Seeking and Behavior Change by Untreated Military Personnel Abusing Alcohol or Drugs

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01128140
• Other study ID #: 37278-C
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• First received: May 14, 2010
• Last updated: May 26, 2015
• Start date: October 2010
• Est. completion date: September 2014

Study information

• Verified date: May 2015
• Source: University of Washington
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This study will develop and test a brief telephone-delivered motivational enhancement intervention for substance abusing military personnel who are not currently in treatment. The hypotheses being tested are that this intervention will prompt a willingness to participate voluntarily in a self-appraisal of substance abuse behavior and consequences, self-initiated change or enrollment in a treatment or self-help program, and cessation of abuse of alcohol or other drugs.

Description:

The health and well-being of military personnel, and consequently the capacity for optimal functioning of military units, are compromised by the abuse of alcohol and/or other drugs. Rates of heavy drinking are higher among military personnel than in the general population and are even higher among recently deployed personnel.

While counseling can be effective, most substance abusers do not tend to voluntarily seek treatment. Moreover, military personnel encounter more real and perceived barriers to seeking treatment.

The substance abuse field is increasingly focusing on developing interventions for those at early stages of readiness to change, i.e., those contemplating but not yet committed to change. A brief, telephone-delivered motivational enhancement intervention (MET) called a "check-up," has shown promise in promoting self-initiated behavior change as well as voluntary treatment entry, enhanced retention, and more successful outcomes for substance abuse.

Adapting the "check-up" for application with military personnel is warranted for three key reasons: (1) it has the potential of overcoming barriers to treatment-seeking, i.e., stigma and apprehension of a negative impact on one's military career; (2) it has the potential of attracting voluntary participation; and (3) protocols for disseminating this low cost intervention for use with deployed military can readily be developed and evaluated.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 242
• Est. completion date: September 2014
• Est. primary completion date: September 2014
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. current abuse or dependence on one or more substances

2. not currently enrolled in a counseling program focusing on substance abuse

3. currently serving in the Army or other branch of the military.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. non-fluency in English

2. evidence of psychosis

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Alcohol Abuse
• Alcohol Dependence
• Alcoholism
• Substance Abuse
• Substance Dependence
• Substance-Related Disorders

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Motivational Enhancement Therapy
MET, a 30-60 minute telephone session, seeks to increase motivation for change by highlighting inconsistencies between substance use behaviors and beliefs and negative consequences experienced as a result of the behaviors. The counselor will guide the participant in reviewing the Personal Feedback Report (PFR), using MI strategies to elicit the participant's reactions and foster motivation for change. The PFR will show the participant's self-reported alcohol and drug use behavior, consequences of SA, and the participant's perceived and actual descriptive norms for SA behavior. The second phase will target strengthening commitment to change. Counselors will explore with participants the pros and cons of seeking treatment. As the participant verbalizes potential benefits of learning more about treatment, the counselor will use MI skills to encourage elaboration of his/her thinking with the goal of tipping the scale toward a decision to consider taking steps toward treatment.
• Education
Participants will receive educational information on the health, psychological, social, and legal consequences of substance abuse. Included in the session will be: legal and behavioral definitions of SA, the social and legal consequences of SA, impact of SA on military duty, a review of the policies on substance use in the military, and treatment resources. The session will be conducted via the telephone and will last from 30-60 minutes. Counselors will present information in a didactic manner and will avoid the use of Motivational Interviewing skills (reflective listening, developing discrepancy, reinforcing participant statements regarding change).

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of Washington Innovative Programs Research Group	Seattle	Washington

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Washington	U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Form 90D	Structured interview that uses a timeline follow-back procedure to elicit detailed daily information on the use of alcohol and other drugs.	3 months	No
Primary	Inventory of Drug Use Consequences	A 50-item inventory of consequences related to alcohol and drug use.	3 months	No
Primary	Treatment Seeking and Preparation Behaviors Questionnaire	Assesses treatment-seeking attitudes, intentions, and behaviors.	3 months	No
Secondary	Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale	19-item questionnaire that assesses readiness to make changes in alcohol or drug use behaviors.	3 months	No
Secondary	Drinking Norms Rating Form	Participant estimates of prevalence and frequency/volume of alcohol/drug consumption by the average person and the average person in the military.	3 months	No