Enhancing Prospective Thinking in Early Recovery

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The goal of this clinical trial is to use a novel virtual reality intervention to test for efficacy in reducing stimulant use and increasing abstinence, with concomitant increases in future self-identification, future time perspective, and delay-of-reward, in early recovering stimulant use disorder (StUD) persons. The main question[s] this trial aims to answer are: Will the Virtual Reality (VR) intervention decrease the number of stimulant use days? Will the VR intervention produce longer abstinence periods during follow-up visits? Will the VR intervention increase stimulant drug abstinence rates? Will the VR intervention increase future self-identification? Will the VR intervention increase self-reported future time perspective? Will the VR intervention increase preference for delayed rewards in a laboratory delay discounting task on the study day? Will the VR intervention produce gains in the behavioral effects of future self-identification, future time perspective, and delayed rewards at the 30-day and 6-month follow-ups? Researchers will compare the experimental and control groups to see if there are differences in the results for the questions outlined above.

Official Title
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Enhancing Prospective Thinking in Early Recovery

Conditions
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Stimulant Use, Substance Use Disorders

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Virtual Reality


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Abstinence between ≥14 days and ≤1 year At least 18 years old Verbal endorsement of commitment to recovery Outpatient Psychotropic drugs for SUD-comorbidity Drug/alcohol abstinence ≥ 24 hours at the time of the study day visit English comprehension Exclusion Criteria: Unstable medical disorders Less than 18 years old Habitual drug use Mu-opioid drugs Smell/taste disorders Unstable psychiatric conditions Extravagant/elaborate face tattoos

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: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Two groups: Experimental Group Control Group
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Virtual Reality<br>Participants in this arm will receive the following interventions: Virtual Reality Park Virtual Reality Avatar | Device: Virtual Reality<br>* Both groups will receive a Virtual Reality Park experience, which is an empty park with no avatars. Only the experimental group will have a Virtual Reality Avatar experience, where they will see an avatar resembling themselves in a park setting.<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Treatment As Usual<br>Participants in this arm will receive the following interventions: Virtual Reality Park | Device: Virtual Reality<br>* Both groups will receive a Virtual Reality Park experience, which is an empty park with no avatars. Only the experimental group will have a Virtual Reality Avatar experience, where they will see an avatar resembling themselves in a park setting.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reduced Use of Drug Using Days | The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will reduce drug using days. | Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit. | 
| Increased Length of Abstinence | The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase the length of abstinence periods. | Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit. | 
| Increased (overall) Abstinence | The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase abstinence. | Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit. | 
| Future Self-identification | The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase future self-identification. | Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit. | 
| Future Time Perspective | The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase future time perspective. | Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit. | 
| Delayed Reward Preference | The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase preference for delayed rewards. | Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit. |