GOALS: Substance Use Interventions for Truant Adolescents

Sponsor

Brown University (Other)

Overall Status

Recruiting

CT.gov ID

NCT03655574

Collaborator

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (NIH)

150

Enrollment

Locations

Arms

45.9

Anticipated Duration (Months)

Patients Per Site

1.6

Patients Per Site Per Month

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

This study evaluates a brief motivation-building intervention for parents and teens to reduce truancy and substance use. It is hypothesized that the motivational intervention will result in better outcomes compared to an education-only intervention.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Adolescent Problem Behavior Truancy; Unsocialized Marijuana Abuse Truancy; Socialized Substance Abuse Alcohol Abuse	Behavioral: Motivational + Family Check-up (MET+FCU) Other: Psychoeducation	N/A

Detailed Description

Adolescents who use marijuana and are truant from school are a high-risk population with increased likelihood of substance use disorders, criminal justice involvement, and long-term impairments in vocational, family, and peer domains.

This study will test a theory-driven intervention for early adolescent marijuana using, truant youth identified through Rhode Island Truancy and Family Courts. Adolescents will be randomly assigned to one of the 2 conditions: a motivational interview versus psychoeducation.

Study Design

Study Type:

Interventional

Anticipated Enrollment :

150 participants

Allocation:

Randomized

Intervention Model:

Parallel Assignment

Intervention Model Description:

Two-arm randomized controlled trialTwo-arm randomized controlled trial

Masking:

Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking Description:

Participants will not be informed about which intervention arm they receive. Assessors will have the condition of the participant masked.

Primary Purpose:

Treatment

Official Title:

Brief Individual and Parent Interventions for Substance Use in Truant Adolescents

Actual Study Start Date :

Jan 1, 2019

Anticipated Primary Completion Date :

Oct 30, 2022

Anticipated Study Completion Date :

Oct 30, 2022

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: Motivational + Family Check-up (MET+FCU) The MET individual session covers three constructs; 1) intentions to use marijuana; 2) normative beliefs about peer substance use; and 3) attitudes towards peer substance use. These same three constructs are also addressed with respect to truancy. In addition, motivation to abstain from substance use is discussed. The FCU session with teens and parents/caregivers begins by collecting self-report measures and conducting a videotaped Family Assessment Task (FAsTask) to assess parent-teen interactions. The FAsTask is the basis of FCU feedback. There are four specific phases of the feedback session: 1) Self-assessment, 2) Support and clarification, 3) Feedback, and, 4) Action plan.	Behavioral: Motivational + Family Check-up (MET+FCU) In the MET session, motivational strategies of individualized normative feedback, examining decisional balance, and providing information/advice will be used to support goals for behavior change and to examine barriers to changes. There are four specific phases of the FCU session: (1) Self-assessment: Parents are asked if they learned anything about their family from participating in the assessment. (2) Support and clarification: The interviewer supports the parent's self-assessment efforts, assesses their level of understanding, and clarifies issues within the family. (3) Feedback: A summary form of the assessment is reviewed. (4) Action Plan: Throughout the session, the counselor works with the parent to develop a brief, written Action Plan about communication and monitoring.
Placebo Comparator: Psychoeducation An interventionist will review a set of educational materials with the parents regarding teen marijuana use, effects of marijuana on the brain, body and behavior, risks associated with marijuana use, how to tell if a teen is engaging in marijuana use or truancy, and parenting skills. A comparable set of materials will be reviewed with the adolescent.	Other: Psychoeducation Psychoeducation about substances is provided to teens and parents.

Arm

Intervention/Treatment

Experimental: Motivational + Family Check-up (MET+FCU)

The MET individual session covers three constructs; 1) intentions to use marijuana; 2) normative beliefs about peer substance use; and 3) attitudes towards peer substance use. These same three constructs are also addressed with respect to truancy. In addition, motivation to abstain from substance use is discussed. The FCU session with teens and parents/caregivers begins by collecting self-report measures and conducting a videotaped Family Assessment Task (FAsTask) to assess parent-teen interactions. The FAsTask is the basis of FCU feedback. There are four specific phases of the feedback session: 1) Self-assessment, 2) Support and clarification, 3) Feedback, and, 4) Action plan.

Behavioral: Motivational + Family Check-up (MET+FCU)

In the MET session, motivational strategies of individualized normative feedback, examining decisional balance, and providing information/advice will be used to support goals for behavior change and to examine barriers to changes. There are four specific phases of the FCU session: (1) Self-assessment: Parents are asked if they learned anything about their family from participating in the assessment. (2) Support and clarification: The interviewer supports the parent's self-assessment efforts, assesses their level of understanding, and clarifies issues within the family. (3) Feedback: A summary form of the assessment is reviewed. (4) Action Plan: Throughout the session, the counselor works with the parent to develop a brief, written Action Plan about communication and monitoring.

Placebo Comparator: Psychoeducation

An interventionist will review a set of educational materials with the parents regarding teen marijuana use, effects of marijuana on the brain, body and behavior, risks associated with marijuana use, how to tell if a teen is engaging in marijuana use or truancy, and parenting skills. A comparable set of materials will be reviewed with the adolescent.

Other: Psychoeducation

Psychoeducation about substances is provided to teens and parents.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

Change in Frequency of Marijuana Use [Last 90 days at baseline, and 3, 6, and 12 months]
Total number of marijuana use days .
Change in Quantity of Marijuana Use per Occasion of Use [Last 90 days at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months]
Average quantity of marijuana use per day

Secondary Outcome Measures

Change in Days truant from school [Last 90 days at baseline, and 3, 6, and 12 months]
School attendance based on objective school records
Change in Days truant from school, self-report [Last 90 days at baseline, and 3, 6, and 12 months]
School attendance based on self-report

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:

12 Years to 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Yes

Inclusion Criteria:

the target child is in 6th-10th grade at the start of the project and living at home with at least one parent/guardian,
the teen must report 6 or more incidences of marijuana use in the last 90 days (an approximation of biweekly use)
by law, the teen must have at least 20 unexcused absences in an academic year to be in truancy court, and (4) parental consent and teen assent are obtained.

Exclusion Criteria:

the family is not able to speak and understand English or Spanish well enough to complete study procedures
developmental delay, as determined by school placements outside the regular classroom, that would affect comprehension of the intervention.