The study has 4 specific aims: (1) To modify our existing Individual Female Specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-FS-CBT) for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) approach to treat women with alcohol dependence in a group format, Group Female Specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (G-FS-CBT); (2) To test the relative efficacy of I-FS-CBT and G-FS-CBT; (3) To test hypothesized mechanisms of change in drinking that are common to both treatments, including (a) coping skills and enhanced self-efficacy for abstinence; (b) enhanced sense of autonomy; (c) alleviation of negative affect, and (d) increased social network support for abstinence, and (4) To assess the relative cost-effectiveness of the individual and group treatment.
Participants completed a telephone screen for initial eligibility and were scheduled for an in-person clinical intake interview. Consented women were scheduled for a baseline research interview (BL) approximately one week later. At the end of the BL, participants were randomized to treatment condition. During the 12 session treatment period, women completed assessments at the beginning and end of each therapy session on secondary outcome and therapy process variables. In I-FS-CBT each participant saw a therapist weekly. The first session was 90 minutes long, and subsequent sessions were 60 minutes long. The I-FS-CBT manual included core CBT, motivational enhancement, and relapse prevention components. Two core thematic women's issues were integrated into each session via discussion and illustrative material: (a) self-confidence and (b) self-care. The G-FS-CBT manual included material identical to I-FS-CBT, but the session organization was modified for a closed group format. The group treatment was designed to provide didactic presentation of coping skills and motivational enhancement material, and group discussion and rehearsal of new skills within a supportive atmosphere that facilitated mutual emotional support and support for abstinence. The first session of G-FS-CBT was 2 hours; remaining sessions were 90 minutes. In-person follow-up interviews were done at 3, 9, and 15 months post-session 1.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
155
Percent Drinking Days (PDD)
Derived from Timeline Followback (TLFB)
Time frame: Change from baseline across 15 months post-session 1
Percent Heavy Drinking Days (PHDD)
Derived from TLFB; Defined as 4 or more standard drinks per day
Time frame: Change from baseline across 15 months post-session 1
Mean Drinks Per Drinking Day (MDPDD)
Derived from TLFB
Time frame: Change from baseline across 15 months post-session 1
Beck Depression Inventory II
self-report questionnaire assessing depression symptoms over the prior two weeks (scores range 0-63) and higher scores indicate greater depression symptomatology. All item scores are summed to attain a total score.
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 15 months
Anxiety
Assessed anxiety symptoms in the last week (scores range 0-63) with higher scores indicating higher anxiety symptomatology. Item scores summed to attain total score.
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 15 months
Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale
Measures the extent of an individual's concern with others' opinion of herself (sociotropy) and self-confidence, behavioral and emotional independence (autonomy). Sociotropy sub scale ranges from 0 to 64 with higher scores indicating higher sociotropy. Average Sociotropy Scores are attained by averaging items, with total scores from 0 to 4. Autonomy sub scale Score range from 0 to 44 with higher scores indicating greater autonomy. Average Autonomy Scores are attained by averaging items, with total scores from 0 to 4.
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 15 months
Coping Strategies Scale
Assessed use frequency of 30 strategies to cope with alcohol use and non-alcohol related situations, on a scale of 1 (never) to 4 (frequently) for a mean score across all items
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 15 months
Situational Confidence Scale 8
Measured self-efficacy to abstain from alcohol use in high-risk situations; each item is rated 0% to 100% for a global confidence score.
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 15 months
Important People Inventory
Assessed social network structure, network drinking, and network response to drinking and abstinence. Percentage of network accepting/encouraging abstinence and percentage of network abstainers/in recovery were used.
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 15 months
Self care
Assessed 8 domains of self-care: seek medical care, have free time, pleasurable activities, social contact, attend treatment, exercise, do nice things for oneself, buy nice things for oneself
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 15 months
Inventory of Personal Problems
Assessed problems in 10 interpersonal domains, rated on a 0 to 4 scale. A total sum score was used for this study; higher scores reflect more interpersonal problems
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 15 months
Group Environment Scale Form R
Measured 10 group process subscales (e.g., Cohesiveness, Leader Support, Order/Organization, Expressiveness, Anger/Aggression), each with a mean scale score for 4 items rated on a 0-4 scale.
Time frame: Baseline and through study completion, about 15 months
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