Leveraging Parents and Peers to Increase Recovery Capital in Emerging Adults

Summary

Emerging adults (EAs; aged 18-26) are the highest-risk population for poly-substance use (misuse of more than one drug), compared to all other age groups and are the least-served population for substance use services. The overarching purpose of this pilot study is to assess whether an innovative services package, Launch, can reasonably work (is feasible) and whether providers and participants like it (acceptability). Launch works with both EAs and a supportive parent (or parental figure) and delivers peer recovery support services (PRSS) to EAs while helping parents use an effective, evidence-based program called contingency management, adapted for EAs, at home with their EA child. This study will also lay the groundwork for a future large-scale trial of Launch services.

Conditions

• Polysubstance Drug Use (Indiscriminate Drug Use)

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Contingency Management for Emerging Adults (CM-EA)

After CM-EA is introduced, a contingency contract is developed between a parent and emerging adult (EA) that provides EAs with rewards for negative drug screens and completion of developmentally appropriate goals to build recovery capital, along with disincentives for positive screens or engaging in inappropriate behaviors. Concurrently, parents are taught to conduct random urine drug screens. Additionally, parents are trained to complete functional analyses in collaboration with their EA to identify the EA's triggers for poly-substance use and negative behaviors. Individualized triggers are targeted via self-management planning and drug refusal skills training. At the end of CM-EA, plans are made with the family for sustaining abstinence and improvements in other behaviors.

BEHAVIORAL

Standard Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS) +Vocational/Educational (V/E) Skill Building services

Standard PRSS begin by identifying clients' needs in key domains (e.g., transportation, employment). After needs are identified, a peer worker addresses needs through informational resources and community referrals and engages clients in positive recreational activities offering advice, hope and empowerment to encourage steps toward a reduction in substance use and eventual abstinence. When desired, peer workers also link clients to a broader recovery peer community. In addition, the peer worker will dedicate time to increasing recovery capital via improving skills related to V/E advancement using a workbook, Targeting Employment for Emerging Adults: A Toolkit for Mental Health Providers, for which peer workers will be trained.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

  collaborator NIH

• Chestnut Health Systems

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Tess K Drazdowski, PhD · Chestnut Health Systems

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-06-07

Primary Completion

2026-07-30

Completion

2026-09-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations