The research study seeks to refine and test a brief, self-directed, intervention for individuals from the general public with PTSD and co-occurring HD that can be delivered via text-messaging. This application seeks to refine the intervention further by testing whether theoretically-driven, evidence-based strategies from basic cognitive psychology (message framing) and social psychology (facilitating growth mindsets) result in better outcomes for PTSD symptoms and HD by addressing pilot participant feedback related to avoidance and motivation.
This study will refine a previously piloted text message intervention by integrating and testing the efficacy of behavioral nudge and psychologically-wise intervention techniques when added to CBT text messages for reducing hazardous drinking (HD) and PTSD symptoms.The enhancements will be tested in a fully crossed 3 (message framing: avoid losses vs. maximize gains vs. no framing) x 2 (mindsets: facilitate growth mindset reminder vs. simple reminder to use skills) factorial design to identify the most effective combination of text messages. A sample of 500 participants with DSM-5 Criterion A trauma exposure, PTSD symptoms, and HD will be enrolled and randomized to condition. Baseline, immediate post-, 1-, and 3-month assessments will capture change in primary outcomes (PTSD, hazardous drinking). Trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms will be assessed using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, Civilian Version DSM-5 with the Life Events Checklist (PCL-5 and LEC). HD will be assessed via a set of measures that provide a detailed picture of drinking patterns. First, two questions will ask about heavy episodic drinking (HED: 4/5 or more drinks per single occasion for men/women) episodes, assessing both frequency over the lifetime and frequency over the last month. Typical weekly alcohol consumption will also be assessed using the Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ). Negative alcohol-related consequences will be assessed via the Short Index of Problems (SIP).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
CBT skills based text messages delivered 3x per week for four weeks
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States
Heavy Episodic Drinking
Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) assesses the quantity of heavy drinking episodes (i.e., \>4/5 drinks per occasion for women/men, based on the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's definition) over the last month. It is administered at pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (week 4), 1 month follow up (week 8), and 3 month follow up (week 16). The range of the scale is 0-10 (count of the number of heavy drinking episodes in the last month); 10 is described as 10 or more heavy drinking episodes. Higher scores represent a greater number of heavy drinking episodes.
Time frame: Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 16 weeks
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for the 5th Edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (PCL-5) assesses the severity of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as defined by the 5th Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (week 4), 1 month follow up (week 8), and 3 month follow up (week 16) to assess change in PTSD symptoms. The range of the scale is 0-80. Higher scores represent more severe PTSD symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks
Typical Weekly Alcohol Consumption
The Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ) assesses the number of standard drinks consumed each day of a typical week over the last month and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (week 4), 1 month follow up (week 8), and 3 month follow up (week 16). The range for the scale to report drinks consumed each day is 0-25. Each day's score for the week is summed to created a total number of drinks consumed per week; the count of drinks consumed per week ranges from 0 to 175. Higher scores representing greater number of drinks consumed during a typical week.
Time frame: Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 16 weeks
Alcohol Use Consequences
The Short Index of Problems (SIP) assesses the negative consequences from alcohol consumption over the last month and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (week 4), 1 month follow up (week 8), and 3 month follow up (week 16). The range for the scale is 0-15 and higher scores represent a greater number of alcohol-related consequences.
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Enrollment
505
Time frame: Baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 16 weeks
Risk of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) assesses problem drinking and likely diagnosis of an alcohol use disorder over the last 12 months and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline) and 3 month follow up (week 16). The total range of scores is 0-40 and higher scores represent greater risks of having an alcohol use disorder.
Time frame: Baseline,16 weeks
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) assesses the general psychopathology symptoms over the last month and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline), 1 month follow up (week 8), and 3 month follow up (week 16). It has 3 subscales; two of which (anxiety and depression subscales) are outcomes for this study. The total range of scores of the anxiety subscale of the DASS-21 is 0-21 and higher scores indicate more severe symptoms. The total range of scores of the depression subscale of the DASS-21 is 0-21 and higher scores indicate more severe symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks, 16 weeks
Treatment Seeking
The Treatment Services Received (TSR) assesses the types of mental health and addictions treatments that individuals (e.g., inpatient, outpatient, 12-step, etc) received since enrolling in the study and is administered at 3 month follow up (week 16). Twelve types of treatment are listed and counted to calculate the number of types of treatment that individuals received over the 16-week study period. The minimum possible score is 0 (no services received) and the maximum is 12 types of treatment. Higher numbers indicate receiving more types of treatment.
Time frame: 16 weeks
Drug Use
The Customary Drinking and Drug Use Record (CDDR) assesses comprehensive substance use, other than alcohol, over the last 3 months and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline) and 3 month follow up (week 16). The total range of scores is 0-12 and higher scores indicate more drug use.
Time frame: Baseline,16 weeks
Drug Use Problems
The Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) assesses the problems related to other substance use and likely drug use disorder diagnosis over the last 12 months and is administered at pre-intervention (baseline) and 3 month follow up (week 16). The total range of scores is 0-10 and higher scores indicate more substance use-related problems and likely drug use disorder diagnosis.
Time frame: Baseline, 16 weeks