Delivering Contingency Management in Outpatient Addiction Treatment

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Methamphetamine misuse has become a growing concern in Alberta, creating a burden on the health care system. Further, individuals who use methamphetamine in Alberta exhibit significant difficulty remaining in treatment. These troubling patterns necessitate the provision of evidence-based practices (EBPs)-those grounded in empirical evidence-to ensure the best possible care and outcomes for those struggling with this addiction. Within the field of substance use (SU), contingency management (CM) is an extensively studied evidence-based treatment (EBT) for addictive disorders. CM is an intervention that provides incentives to encourage positive behavioural change. Compared to standard care (treatment-as-usual (TAU)), CM has resulted in improvements in abstinence, attendance, adherence, retention, and quality of life. The efficacy of CM has largely been investigated in the context of reinforcing abstinence, though the literature suggests that CM which reinforces attendance may be as effective. Research from the US has examined the cost-effectiveness of CM and found that although CM costs more, it was associated with greater abstinence, treatment completion, and substance-absent urine compared to TAU. Despite the promising literature, the uptake of CM in Canada is limited making it difficult to understand whether this EBT is equally efficacious as compared to the US. This study will implement and evaluate the efficacy of virtually delivered attendance-based CM in outpatient addiction treatment in Alberta. Participants (N=544) will be individuals seeking treatment for methamphetamine use (n=304) and individuals seeking treatment for substance use issues other than methamphetamine use (n=240). It is hypothesized that compared to participants in TAU, participants in CM will evidence: (1) greater retention, (2) greater attendance, (3) greater abstinence from methamphetamine and less methamphetamine use, (4) greater abstinence from other SU and less SU, and (5) greater improvement in quality of life over the intervention and follow-up periods. Exploratory aims include understanding how: outcomes differ based remote versus in-person delivery of CM; outcomes differ between participants who use methamphetamine and participants who use substances other than methamphetamine; the costs of CM differ from TAU; CM changes health service use.

Official Title
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Expanding Capacity in Alberta to Deliver Contingency Patient Management in Outpatient Addiction Treatment: A Randomized Clinical Trial for Methamphetamine Use

Conditions
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Methamphetamine, Methamphetamine Abuse, Methamphetamine-dependence, Contingency Management, Substance Use, Substance Abuse, Substance Use Disorders, Drug Use, Drug Abuse, Adults, Humans

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Contingency management


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 18-years of age or older Seeking treatment for methamphetamine use or substance use issues other than methamphetamine use Reported methamphetamine use or substance use other than methamphetamine use within 3-months prior to study entry Deemed appropriate for treatment-as-usual using Alberta Health Services clinical procedures Willing to participate in the 12-week intervention in-person or virtually at least once weekly Willing to participate in-person or virtually for a follow-up at 3, 6, and 12-months following the 12-week intervention period Willing to complete questionnaires weekly during the 12-week intervention period and at each follow-up at 3, 6, and 12-months following the 12-week intervention period Exclusion Criteria: Past or current history of gambling problems Imminent plans to enter an environment in which participation in this study is restricted (e.g., residential treatment, inpatient unit, detoxification, incarceration, house arrest). Attended more than one treatment session since their intake, or screening date was more than one month following their first day of treatment at the Alberta Health Services clinic No plans to attend weekly treatment at the Alberta Health Services clinic

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Participants who use methamphetamine and participants who use substances other than methamphetamine will randomly be assigned to one of two treatment arms: contingency management which incentivizes participants for their treatment attendance or treatment-as-usual with no contingency management.
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Contingency management for treatment attendance<br>Participants who receive contingency management in addition to their usual care (treatment-as-usual). These participants are in the 12-week contingency management program which provides incentives for their treatment attendance. | Behavioral: Contingency management<br>* Incentives will be provided for treatment attendance over a 12-week period.<br>|
| No Intervention: Treatment-as-usual<br>Participants who solely receive their usual care (treatment-as-usual) and do not receive contingency management. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Differences in Treatment Retention from Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12 | The number of days between the first and last scheduled treatment session. | Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12. | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Proportion of Methamphetamine Abstinent Days Measured Using the Timeline Followback (TLFB) Questionnaire | The TLFB is an instrument that assesses retrospective substance use. Abstinence from and use of methamphetamine will be examined using the TLFB based on Robinson and colleagues' definitions (2014) over the intervention period and follow-up periods. | Baseline to Post-Intervention Week 12 and from Week 12 to Week 15 (3-Month Follow-Up), Week 18 (6-Month Follow-Up), and Week 24 (12-Month Follow-Up). | 
| Longest Consecutive Days of Methamphetamine Abstinence Measured Using the Timeline Followback (TLFB) Questionnaire | The TLFB is an instrument that assesses retrospective substance use. Abstinence from and use of methamphetamine will be examined using the TLFB based on Robinson and colleagues' definitions (2014) over the intervention period and follow-up periods. | Baseline to Post-Intervention Week 12 and from Week 12 to Week 15 (3-Month Follow-Up), Week 18 (6-Month Follow-Up), and Week 24 (12-Month Follow-Up). | 
| Longest Consecutive Days of Methamphetamine Use Measured Using the Timeline Followback (TLFB) Questionnaire | The TLFB is an instrument that assesses retrospective substance use. Abstinence from and use of methamphetamine will be examined using the TLFB based on Robinson and colleagues' definitions (2014) over the intervention period and follow-up periods. | Baseline to Post-Intervention Week 12 and from Week 12 to Week 15 (3-Month Follow-Up), Week 18 (6-Month Follow-Up), and Week 24 (12-Month Follow-Up). | 
| Proportion of Days Abstinent from Other Licit and Illicit Substances Measured Using the Timeline Followback (TLFB) Questionnaire | The TLFB is an instrument that assesses retrospective substance use. Abstinence from and use of other licit and illicit substances will be examined using the TLFB based on Robinson and colleagues' definitions (2014) over the intervention period and follow-up periods. | Baseline to Post-Intervention Week 12 and from Week 12 to Week 15 (3-Month Follow-Up), Week 18 (6-Month Follow-Up), and Week 24 (12-Month Follow-Up). | 
| Longest Consecutive Days Abstinent from Other Licit and Illicit Substances Measured Using the Timeline Followback (TLFB) Questionnaire | The TLFB is an instrument that assesses retrospective substance use. Abstinence from and use of other licit and illicit substances will be examined using the TLFB based on Robinson and colleagues' definitions (2014) over the intervention period and follow-up periods. | Baseline to Post-Intervention Week 12 and from Week 12 to Week 15 (3-Month Follow-Up), Week 18 (6-Month Follow-Up), and Week 24 (12-Month Follow-Up). | 
| Longest Consecutive Days of Use of Other Licit and Illicit Substances Measured Using the Timeline Followback (TLFB) Questionnaire | The TLFB is an instrument that assesses retrospective substance use. Abstinence from and use of other licit and illicit substances will be examined using the TLFB based on Robinson and colleagues' definitions (2014) over the intervention period and follow-up periods. | Baseline to Post-Intervention Week 12 and from Week 12 to Week 15 (3-Month Follow-Up), Week 18 (6-Month Follow-Up), and Week 24 (12-Month Follow-Up). | 
| Mean Number of Units Consumed of Other Quantifiable Licit and Illicit Substances Measured Using the Timeline Followback (TLFB) Questionnaire | The TLFB is an instrument that assesses retrospective substance use. Abstinence from and use of other licit and illicit substances will be examined using the TLFB based on Robinson and colleagues' definitions (2014) over the intervention period and follow-up periods. | Baseline to Post-Intervention Week 12 and from Week 12 to Week 15 (3-Month Follow-Up), Week 18 (6-Month Follow-Up), and Week 24 (12-Month Follow-Up). | 
| Total Number of Units Consumed of Other Quantifiable Licit and Illicit Substances Measured Using the Timeline Followback (TLFB) Questionnaire | The TLFB is an instrument that assesses retrospective substance use. Abstinence from and use of other licit and illicit substances will be examined using the TLFB based on Robinson and colleagues' definitions (2014) over the intervention period and follow-up periods. | Baseline to Post-Intervention Week 12 and from Week 12 to Week 15 (3-Month Follow-Up), Week 18 (6-Month Follow-Up), and Week 24 (12-Month Follow-Up). | 
| Largest Number of Units Consumed of Other Quantifiable Licit and Illicit Substances in One Day Measured Using the Timeline Followback (TLFB) Questionnaire | The TLFB is an instrument that assesses retrospective substance use. Abstinence from and use of other licit and illicit substances will be examined using the TLFB based on Robinson and colleagues' definitions (2014) over the intervention period and follow-up periods. | Baseline to Post-Intervention Week 12 and from Week 12 to Week 15 (3-Month Follow-Up), Week 18 (6-Month Follow-Up), and Week 24 (12-Month Follow-Up). | 
| Proportion of Days Attended Scheduled Treatment from Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12 | Attendance will be defined based on definitions in Petry and colleagues' (2018) and Robinson and colleagues' (2014). | Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12. | 
| Longest Consecutive Days Attended Scheduled Treatment from Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12 | Attendance will be defined based on definitions in Petry and colleagues' (2018) and Robinson and colleagues' (2014). | Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12. | 
| Longest Consecutive Days Absent from Scheduled Treatment from Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12 | Attendance will be defined based on definitions in Petry and colleagues' (2018) and Robinson and colleagues' (2014). | Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12. | 
| Mean Number of Days Attended Scheduled Treatment from Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12 | Attendance will be defined based on definitions in Petry and colleagues' (2018) and Robinson and colleagues' (2014). | Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12. | 
| Total Number of Days Attended Scheduled Treatment from Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12 | Attendance will be defined based on definitions in Petry and colleagues' (2018) and Robinson and colleagues' (2014). | Baseline to Post-Intervention at Week 12. | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Contingency Management, Methamphetamine, Substance Use, Treatment, Internet-Based Intervention