NCT00132795

Using Telephone Technology to Prevent Relapse After Alcoholism Treatment

Therapeutic IVR to Augment CBT in Alcohol Dependence

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 158 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Vermont · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 19 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a telephone based self-help program will prevent relapse among individuals undergoing standard substance abuse treatment.

Detailed description

Relapse rates in the first few months following substance abuse treatment are as high as 50%, in spite of the immediate effectiveness of treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Continuing use of therapy skills following treatment is associated with maintenance of treatment gains. We have programmed a telephone to deliver pre-recorded summaries and rehearsal sessions of skills learned in therapy. The system also includes monthly feedback messages from therapists. We expect that this ad-lib access to therapy skills would allow patients to generalize skills to their personal post-treatment lives. It would also allow individuals in remote or rural areas to obtain access to assistance without travel barriers. Comparison(s): patients completing group CBT for substance abuse will be randomly assigned to two conditions. In one condition, patients will have unlimited access to the therapeutic telephone system for 4 months. The other condition is standard care (i.e., no formal relapse prevention).

Conditions

• Alcoholism

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Daily monitoring of alcohol & drug use, & therapy skills	Comparison(s): patients completing group CBT for substance abuse will be randomly assigned to two conditions. In one condition, patients will have unlimited access to the therapeutic telephone system for 4 months. The other condition is standard care (i.e., no formal relapse prevention).
BEHAVIORAL	control group	standard care (no added treatment)

Timeline

• Start date: 2005-05-01
• Primary completion: 2009-12-01
• Completion: 2010-07-01
• First posted: 2005-08-22
• Last updated: 2012-06-21

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States