The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of attention training using a portable electronic device for opioid-dependent cocaine-users stabilized on methadone.
The investigators propose to test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of 5-times per week daily attentional retraining (AR) delivered via a portable electronic device (PED) in comparison with a control condition over the course of a 2-3 week training period. Participants in this study will be cocaine and opioid-dependent individuals stabilized on methadone. Both cocaine and opioids will be targeted in the AR procedure the investigators will test in this study. The retraining or control condition, along with a series of assessments, will be delivered on the PED as part of a daily (Monday through Friday) appointment at which time participants will also obtain their daily methadone dose. Assessments will cover substance use, craving and other issues. In addition to completing the retraining or control procedure, participants will also be engaged in standard versions of attentional bias tasks (i.e., without retraining) periodically in order to gauge an effect of study condition on attentional bias over time. Thus, the investigators will be able to track changes in attentional bias over time in a more detailed fashion than has been previously possible. Following the 3 week training period, there will be another 3 weeks of treatment in which patients will continue to receive methadone and complete limited assessments without any AR or control procedures with the PED.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
8
Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital
West Haven, Connecticut, United States
Attentional bias for cocaine cues
The tendency to respond more rapidly to a dot probe when the probe replaces a cocaine-related word than when a dot probe replaces a matched, non-drug control word.
Time frame: over the course of the 3 week training period
Attentional bias for opioid cues
The tendency to respond more rapidly to a dot probe when the probe replaces an opioid-related word than when a dot probe replaces a matched, non-drug control word.
Time frame: over the course of the 3 week training period
Retention of participants in treatment
Time frame: at the end of the 3 week training period
Mean duration of sessions with the PED
Time frame: the duration of the 3 week training period
self-reported craving for cocaine
Time frame: assessed on a daily basis during the 3 week training period
Self-reported cocaine use
Time frame: during the 3 week training period
Self-reported opioid use
Time frame: during the 3 week training period
self-reported craving for opiates
Time frame: assessed on a daily basis during the 3 week training period
Cocaine urine test results
Time frame: during the 3 week training period
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opioid urine test results
Time frame: during the 3 week training period