Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2018
Publication Title
Contemp Clin Trials
Keywords
Alcohol treatment; Contingency management; Ethyl glucuronide; Serious mental illness addictions neuroclinical assessment
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In contingency management (CM), individuals receive rewards for alcohol abstinence. CM is associated with reduced alcohol use in adults with co-occurring serious mental illnesses (SMI). Pre-treatment urine ethyl glucuronide (uEtG) levels equivalent to daily heavy drinking (uEtG >349ng/mL) are associated with poor response to CM. Modifications to CM are needed to improve outcomes for non-responders.
AIMS: To determine if pre-treatment heavy drinkers, defined by uEtG, with SMI achieve higher levels of alcohol abstinence when they receive an increased magnitude of reinforcement for abstinence (High-Magnitude CM) or reinforcers for reduced drinking, prior to receiving reinforcers for abstinence (Shaping CM), relative to those who receive typical low-magnitude abstinence based CM (Usual CM). Additionally, variables in the Addictions Neuroclinical Assessment model will be examined as treatment response moderators.
METHODS: Participants (N=400) will be recruited from two urban mental health organizations and complete a 4-week induction period where they will be reinforced for submitting samples for uEtG testing. Participants who attain a mean uEtG >349mg/mL will be randomized to receive either Usual CM, High-Magnitude CM, or Shaping CM for 16weeks. Differences in abstinence, assessed by uEtG, will be examined during treatment and during a 12-month follow-up. Measures of negative emotionality, alcohol reinforcer salience, and executive functioning will be gathered at study intake and used to predict treatment outcomes.
DISCUSSION: This novel approach to CM will use an alcohol biomarker to identify those at risk for treatment non-response and determine if adaptations to CM might improve outcomes for this group.
Clinical Institute
Mental Health
Department
Behavioral Health
Recommended Citation
Oluwoye, Oladunni; Skalisky, Jordan; Burduli, Ekaterina; Chaytor, Naomi S; McPherson, Sterling; Murphy, Sean M; Herron, Jalene; Hirchak, Katherine; Burley, Mason; Ries, Richard K; Roll, John M; and McDonell, Michael G, "Using a randomized controlled trial to test whether modifications to contingency management improve outcomes for heavy drinkers with serious mental illness." (2018). Articles, Abstracts, and Reports. 285.
https://digitalcommons.providence.org/publications/285