Exercise as Alcohol Use Disorders Intervention for Non-Treatment Seeking Adults
| Status: | Completed |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Psychiatric |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 21 - 55 |
| Updated: | 3/30/2013 |
| Start Date: | April 2011 |
| End Date: | September 2013 |
| Contact: | Jeremiah Weinstock, Ph.D. |
| Email: | wagerlab@slu.edu |
| Phone: | 314-977-2293 |
Alcohol use disorders are common and few individuals with the disorder ever seek help. This
study proposes to intervene in a novel way - exercise, as it has many mental and physical
health benefits and is an activity that is incompatible with simultaneous alcohol use. If
effective, this non-stigmatizing intervention may increase the utility and acceptability of
interventions for alcohol use disorders and ultimately increase the number of individuals
effectively treated.
About 26 million Americans (8.5%) meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder (AUD; i.e.,
abuse or dependence), and most with an AUD will not ever seek help. A variety of reasons
exist for not seeking help, with stigma and desire to handle the problem on one's own being
primary among them. Therefore, offering interventions for AUD that do not stigmatize or
require an individual to see a mental health professional may increase the utility and
acceptability of AUD interventions and ultimately increase the number of individuals
effectively treated. This pilot study evaluates exercise as an AUD intervention. Exercise
has been proposed as a potential treatment for AUD due to its numerous mental and physical
health benefits. Thirty sedentary non-treatment seeking AUD individuals to be recruited
from the community via advertisements. Participants will be given a four month YMCA gym
membership and will be randomized to one of two conditions: (1) assessment only (AO), or
(2) a combination of two motivational enhancement therapy (MET) sessions focused on
increasing exercise spaced two months apart and four months of weekly contingency management
(CM) for adhering to specific exercise activities. MET is a client-centered, directive
method of enhancing intrinsic motivation to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence,
and CM is a behavioral treatment offering individuals tangible reinforcers such as prizes
for completion of specific target behaviors. Assessments of all participants will take
place at baseline, 2-months (mid-treatment), and 4-months (post-treatment. Results from this
pilot study will guide future investigations of exercise as a method for intervening with
non-treatment seeking AUD individuals.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 21-55 years
- English speaking
- Sedentary
- Alcohol-related problems
- Recent heavy drinking episodes
- Blood pressure <165/95 mmHg
Exclusion Criteria:
- Currently receiving or desiring treatment for alcohol problems
- Contraindications for exercise
- Acute psychiatric problems that require immediate treatment
- Obese - class II
- Pregnant or desire to become so in the next several months
- Other substance dependence
- In recovery for pathological gambling
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Saint Louis University Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit institution with campuses in St....
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