Computer-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Risky Behaviors in Opioid Dependent Patients

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if a computerized version of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can improve high-risk sexual behaviors in patients attending an outpatient methadone treatment clinic. This population is at high risk for contracting and spreading hepatitis and HIV. When added to their treatment as usual (TAU), the CBT session will increase the total exposure of clients to education about how to reduce risky sexual and needle use behaviors and provides real world examples. This study seeks to determine if the use of this CBT program is easily added into the clinical program and if patients are satisfied with its use.

The main hypothesis is that the use of computerized CBT in addition to treatment as usual will improve knowledge and reduce occurrences of unprotected sexual activity. The study will also look at patient and clinic costs related to the CBT intervention, drug use and retention/adherence.

Conditions

• Opioid Dependence
• Hepatitis
• HIV

Interventions

OTHER

computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Standard treatment (as described in TAU) plus a short session using a computer program containing CBT to understand risks related to sexual and other behaviors and how those risks relate to spread of infections.

OTHER

Treatment as Usual (TAU)

This is the infectious disease orientation that would normally be received at this clinic to address risky behavior. This orientation generally includes individual and group therapy sessions that discuss behaviors and the resulting risk of sexually or drug-related infections (for example: use of a condom). Sessions will generally include items such as: * Teaching about the treatment program * Teaching important ideas about sexual behaviors risks * Increasing knowledge about specific sexually transmitted diseases * Discussions of ways to reduce or minimize spread of diseases related to drug use \[for example, Hepatitis and Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV, the virus responsible for causing AIDS)\]

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

  collaborator NIH

• Yale University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Kathleen M Carroll, PhD · Yale University Department of Psychiatry

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2012-04-30

Primary Completion

2013-12-31

Completion

2013-12-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations