Trial Outcomes & Findings for CanCope: Digital Intervention for Coping With Cannabis Craving (NCT NCT05328362)

NCT ID: NCT05328362

Last Updated: 2025-01-22

Results Overview

Participants were asked to rate their level of cannabis craving on a scale of 0 - 10 five times per day where higher scores indicate more craving. Participants were considered available for randomization when craving \>=4 and they clicked the intervention message in the study app. To determine the effect of messaging on craving, we will calculate the average craving level for each EMA eligible for intervention and randomized to receive an active coping strategy message or a control message. It was pre-specified based on a priori power analyses for this small pilot study to combine the "mindfulness-based coping strategies" and "distraction-based coping strategies" interventions in the "Active Message" Row". Craving levels will be averaged across randomized observations. There were up to 140 decision points (5 EMAs per day x 28 days) per participant for the intervention period.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

NA

Target enrollment

53 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Minimum 2.8 hours after each decision point; Maximum 12.8 hours after each decision point

Results posted on

2025-01-22

Participant Flow

Participants consented to the study in the app prior to completing any eligibility screening measures. Participants who consented but then failed to complete screening or any EMA assessments were not enrolled. EMA completion was required to randomize individual decision points (completed EMAs) to an intervention in this study design. N=53 were enrolled based on these criteria.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
CanCope Intervention
The CanCope intervention was delivered through the MetricWire app which was available to each participant on their personal smartphone. The intervention included a "push" component which was responsive to a participant's level of craving (based on self-report assessed via EMA) and sent messages to each participant via the MetricWire app according to a decision rule. MetricWire randomized delivery of the push component with a probability of 0.33 for receiving a mindfulness coping strategy, 0.33 for receiving a distraction coping strategy, and 0.33 for receiving a thank-you message (attention control) at each decision point when participants were available for the intervention. CanCope: Messages prompted participants to use mindfulness-based or distraction-based coping strategies, or a thank-you message which served as an attention control. If participants reported elevated craving (4 or greater) prior to a decision point, they received either a coping strategy message or a control message. If participants reported craving levels of less than 4 they received a control message.
Overall Study
STARTED
53
Overall Study
COMPLETED
49
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
4

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

CanCope: Digital Intervention for Coping With Cannabis Craving

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
CanCope Intervention
n=53 Participants
The CanCope intervention was delivered through the MetricWire app which was available to each participant on their personal smartphone. The intervention included a "push" component which was responsive to a participant's level of craving (based on self-report assessed via EMA) and sent messages to each participant via the MetricWire app according to a decision rule. MetricWire randomized delivery of the push component with a probability of 0.33 for receiving a mindfulness coping strategy, 0.33 for receiving a distraction coping strategy, and 0.33 for receiving a thank-you message (attention control) at each decision point when participants were available for the intervention. CanCope: Messages prompted participants to use mindfulness-based or distraction-based coping strategies, or a thank-you message which served as an attention control. If participants reported elevated craving (4 or greater) prior to a decision point, they received either a coping strategy message or a control message. If participants reported craving levels of less than 4 they received a control message.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
1 Participants
n=99 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
1 Participants
n=99 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
42 Participants
n=99 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
5 Participants
n=99 Participants
Age, Continuous
22.04 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.97 • n=99 Participants
Sex/Gender, Customized
Gender · Man
27 Participants
n=99 Participants
Sex/Gender, Customized
Gender · Woman
20 Participants
n=99 Participants
Sex/Gender, Customized
Gender · Nonbinary
6 Participants
n=99 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
12 Participants
n=99 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
41 Participants
n=99 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
4 Participants
n=99 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
53 participants
n=99 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Minimum 2.8 hours after each decision point; Maximum 12.8 hours after each decision point

Population: Only participants who completed baseline measures and at least one ecological momentary assessment (EMA) are included in the analyses. Two participants who completed baseline measures did not complete any EMAs which were required for micro-randomization and are therefore not included in the analyses.

Participants were asked to rate their level of cannabis craving on a scale of 0 - 10 five times per day where higher scores indicate more craving. Participants were considered available for randomization when craving \>=4 and they clicked the intervention message in the study app. To determine the effect of messaging on craving, we will calculate the average craving level for each EMA eligible for intervention and randomized to receive an active coping strategy message or a control message. It was pre-specified based on a priori power analyses for this small pilot study to combine the "mindfulness-based coping strategies" and "distraction-based coping strategies" interventions in the "Active Message" Row". Craving levels will be averaged across randomized observations. There were up to 140 decision points (5 EMAs per day x 28 days) per participant for the intervention period.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
CanCope Intervention
n=53 Participants
The CanCope intervention was delivered through the MetricWire app which was available to each participant on their personal smartphone. The intervention included a "push" component which was responsive to a participant's level of craving (based on self-report assessed via EMA) and sent messages to each participant via the MetricWire app according to a decision rule. MetricWire randomized delivery of the push component with a probability of 0.67 for receiving an active message (either a mindfulness or a distraction coping strategy), and 0.33 for receiving a thank-you message (attention control) at each decision point when participants were available for the intervention. CanCope: Active Messages prompted participants to use mindfulness-based or distraction-based coping strategies, or a thank-you message which served as an attention control. If participants reported elevated craving (4 or greater) and clicked the intervention message, they received either an active coping strategy message or a control message. If participants reported craving levels of less than 4 they received a control message. It was pre-specified to combine the "mindfulness-based coping strategies" and "distraction-based coping strategies" interventions in the "Active Message" category for primary analyses. The study was powered a priori to detect differences in active vs. control messages.
Average Craving Level - Active vs. Control Messages
Active Message
4.629 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.780
Average Craving Level - Active vs. Control Messages
Control Message
4.736 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.822

Adverse Events

CanCope Intervention

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Catherine Stanger

Dartmouth College

Phone: 603-646-7023

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place