Clinical trial NCT01891656: Motivational Assessment Program to Initiate Treatment
Official title: In-Person VS. Computer Interventions for Increasing Probation Compliance
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Substance-Related Disorders
Keywords: Motivational Interviewing
Internet
Treatment
Substance-Related Disorders
Criminal Justice
Lead sponsor: University of North Texas Health Science Center
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
First posted: 2013-07-03
Enrollment: 380
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Substance abuse treatment in the criminal justice system can reduce drug use and related criminal behavior. Although drug and alcohol treatment are common mandates in criminal justice programs, only a minority of clients actually initiate treatment. This proposal will compare two intervention formats that target motivation to initiate and engage in treatment among a group of probationers who have drug or alcohol treatment conditions. Six hundred drug and alcohol offenders in two probation sites (Baltimore, MD and Dallas, TX) will be randomized to receive: 1) an in-person motivational interviewing session (MI), 2) a motivational computer program (MC), or 3) supervision intake and monitoring as usual (SAU). The MI condition will be structured along the lines of the "Check-Up" format which consists of an assessment and personalized feedback delivered in an MI style; the content of the MC condition will be drawn from previous literature on effective motivational computer programs. Both interventions will be delivered at the start of the probation process, with follow-up assessments at 2 and 6 months. Primary outcomes include engagement and participation in substance abuse treatment; secondary outcomes include drug and alcohol use, probation progress, criminal behavior, and HIV testing and care. This project will be the first to develop and test two interventions for encouraging criminal justice clients to follow through with treatment recommendations, with the goal of increasing treatment initiation, and reducing subsequent drug use and criminal behavior. It also contributes to ongoing partnerships with two large probation agencies-the Dallas County Supervision and Corrections Department and the Maryland Division of Parole and Probation.

Detailed description: Specific Aims

* Develop two intervention formats (Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Motivational Computer (MC)) for increasing motivation to initiate and engage in substance abuse treatment and/or HIV / AIDS testing and, if appropriate, HIV care.
* Test the efficacy of MI and MC on treatment initiation and participation, substance abuse, HIV testing/care, and recidivism, as compared to Supervision As Usual (SAU);
* Evaluate offender characteristics (e.g., risk level, gender, ethnicity, motivation) as potential moderators of the intervention effect; and,
* Assess the relative cost and cost-effectiveness of MI and MC on substance abuse treatment and/or linkage to or participation in HIV/AIDS care, supervision outcomes, recidivism, and substance abuse.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* \>=18 years old
* Drug or Alcohol use in the last 90 days

Exclusion Criteria:

* \<18 years old
* Cannot speak English
* Already participate in a substance abuse treatment

Primary outcomes:
measure: Treatment Progress
timeFrame: 6 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Drug and Alcohol Use
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Probation Progress
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Criminal Behavior
timeFrame: 6 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Fort Worth
country: United States
facility: University of North Texas Health Science Center
state: Texas
city: Fairfax
country: United States
facility: George Mason University
state: Virginia
Study officials:
affiliation: UNT Health Science Center
name: Scott T Walters, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Walters ST, Ondersma SJ, Ingersoll KS, Rodriguez M, Lerch J, Rossheim ME, Taxman FS. MAPIT: development of a web-based intervention targeting substance abuse treatment in the criminal justice system. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2014 Jan;46(1):60-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2013.07.003. Epub 2013 Aug 16.
citation: Reingle Gonzalez JM, Walters ST, Lerch J, Taxman FS. The Relationship Between Drug Use, Drug-related Arrests, and Chronic Pain Among Adults on Probation. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2015 Jun;53:33-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2014.12.005. Epub 2014 Dec 30.
citation: Rodriguez M, Walters ST, Houck JM, Ortiz JA, Taxman FS. The language of change among criminal justice clients: Counselor language, client language, and client substance use outcomes. J Clin Psychol. 2018 Apr;74(4):626-636. doi: 10.1002/jclp.22534. Epub 2017 Sep 22.
citation: Lerch J, Walters ST, Tang L, Taxman FS. Effectiveness of a computerized motivational intervention on treatment initiation and substance use: Results from a randomized trial. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2017 Sep;80:59-66. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2017.07.002. Epub 2017 Jul 6.
citation: Spohr SA, Taxman FS, Rodriguez M, Walters ST. Motivational Interviewing Fidelity in a Community Corrections Setting: Treatment Initiation and Subsequent Drug Use. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2016 Jun;65:20-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2015.07.012. Epub 2015 Jul 29.
citation: Taxman FS, Walters ST, Sloas LB, Lerch J, Rodriguez M. Motivational tools to improve probationer treatment outcomes. Contemp Clin Trials. 2015 Jul;43:120-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2015.05.016. Epub 2015 May 22.