Clinical trial NCT06535919: Substance Use Treatment and Its Role in Supporting Social Cognition
Official title: Substance Use Treatment and Its Role in Supporting Social Cognition
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Conditions: Substance Use
Empathy
Keywords: substance use, empathy
Lead sponsor: Nova Southeastern University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-08-02
Enrollment: 108
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Individual receiving treatment at a local addiction treatment center.

Brief summary: This study aims to assess changes in empathy levels before and after residential treatment among individuals with substance use disorders.

Detailed description: Despite the lack of a consensus on the conceptualization of empathy among researchers and practitioners, psychologists generally agree that empathy and valuable interpersonal relations are contingent upon the willingness to understand another's perspective as well as share feelings and experiences. Adults with a variety of substance use disorders (SUDs) experience impairments in various facets of empathetic processing compared to healthy controls. Impairments in empathy could lead to a weak therapeutic alliance, lower adherence to treatment, and higher relapse rate. Furthermore, the therapeutic relationship has been described as one of the strongest predictors of treatment drop-out for patients with SUDs. In addition, an impaired ability to relate to and understand the affective and mental state of others may contribute to key typologies of patients with SUDs including, impulsivity, aggression, and antisocial behavior. Review of literature emphasizes a need for research into an understudied, yet modifiable factor of empathy in the trajectory of SUDs. Particularly, identifying specific psychotherapeutic techniques capable of improving the expression of empathy in these patients. Given the importance of empathetic ability in optimal social functioning, understanding whether empathetic impairments improve with treatment is important to achieve the best treatment outcomes for individuals struggling with SUDs.This study will help improve the knowledge and understanding of how substance use treatment affects empathy, as measured by gains in empathetic ability in treatment seeking individuals. To date, there are no reported studies that examined the impact of residential SU treatment on empathy. The study will be an observational quasi-experimental design that utilizes a pre-test and post-test to examine change in empathy for recently detoxed substance use patients and a follow-up assessment to monitor long term outcomes. The results of this study will further our understanding of treatment's potential role in cultivating a fundamental interpersonal skill, empathy.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Meet criteria for a substance Use Disorder, receiving treatment at Recovery Unplugged Addiction Treatment Center, at least 18 years of age.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Neurological disorder, severe cognitive impairment, comorbid thought disorder such as schizophrenia, failure to complete detox period,

Primary outcomes:
measure: empathy
timeFrame: pre to post treatment and 2 month post treatment follow-up (4 months total)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: differences in empathy gains by sex
timeFrame: pre and post treatment, 2 month post treatment follow-up (4 months total)
Other outcomes:
measure: Substance Use
timeFrame: Baseline and 2 months post treatment follow-up
measure: Social Support
timeFrame: Baseline and post treatment as well as 2 month post treatment follow-up
measure: Therapeutic Alliance
timeFrame: Baseline, pre-discharge from residential and at PHP treatment pre-discharge
measure: Report of therapist Emapthy
timeFrame: Baseline, pre-discharge from residential , pre-discharge from PHP
measure: Reflective Functioning
timeFrame: Baseline, Pre-discharge residential, pre-discharge PHP, two month follow-up
measure: Therapeutic Orientation Processes
timeFrame: Baseline, pre-discharge from residential, pre-discharge from PHP
measure: Confidence to Participate
timeFrame: Baseline, pre-discharge from residential and at PHP treatment pre-discharge
measure: Participation in Additional Services
timeFrame: Two month follow-up post treatment
Locations:
city: Ft Lauderdale
country: United States
facility: Recovery Unplugged
state: Florida
city: Lake Worth
country: United States
facility: Recovery Unplugged
state: Florida
Study officials:
References: