Improving Brief Marijuana Interventions With a Behavioral Economic Supplement
| Status: | Completed |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Psychiatric |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 18 - Any |
| Updated: | 5/3/2017 |
| Start Date: | October 23, 2014 |
| End Date: | November 30, 2016 |
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a Substance-Free Activity Session
(SFAS) as a supplement to a brief motivation intervention (BMI) in reducing marijuana use
and drug-related consequences in college student
(SFAS) as a supplement to a brief motivation intervention (BMI) in reducing marijuana use
and drug-related consequences in college student
Approximately 20% of college students are regular marijuana users, and are at risk for
cognitive and academic problems, addiction, and risk behaviors such as driving while
impaired. Young adult marijuana users are thus a high-risk population and may require an
intervention that motivates marijuana reductions by increasing engagement in constructive
alternatives to marijuana use. Brief Motivational Interventions (BMIS) have demonstrated
efficacy for alcohol use in college students, but lack consistent evidence of efficacy for
marijuana use. This research team has developed a supplement to alcohol BMIs, the
Substance-Free Activity Session (SFAS), which directly targets the behavioral economic
mechanisms of both substance-free reinforcement and delayed reward discounting by
encouraging the development of and commitment to academic and career goals, and by
highlighting the impact of day-to-day patterns of alcohol use and academic engagement on
these goals. A controlled pilot trial found that the SFAS improved BMI outcomes in a sample
of heavy drinking college students, and the ongoing parent trial to this revision is
replicating and extending those results. This study will evaluate the SFAS using a
randomized 3-group (BMI + SFAS vs. BMI + Relaxation Attention Control, vs. Assessment Only)
pilot trial with 120 undergraduates (50% female, 40% minority) who report using marijuana on
> 5 days in the past-month. It is hypothesized that at the 1-month and the next-semester
follow-ups (follow-ups are wedded to the academic calendar to allow for representative
measurement of marijuana use and activity patterns) BMI+SFAS participants will report
significantly lower levels of marijuana use and problems, and that these reductions will
exceed those of BMI + Relaxation and Assessment-Only participants. Exploratory analyses will
test the hypotheses that (a) the BMI + SFAS will be more effective for participants who
report higher baseline marijuana reinforcing efficacy and delayed reward discounting; and
(b) the advantage of BMI + SFAS on marijuana use will be mediated by increased participation
in substance-free activities. Support for our hypotheses would extend behavioral economic
theory and would provide initial validation for an approach that could be used to reduce
marijuana misuse among the increasing population of college students who misuse marijuana.
Furthermore, given the focus of the SFAS is to increase academic/campus engagement, this
work has the potential for widespread dissemination.
cognitive and academic problems, addiction, and risk behaviors such as driving while
impaired. Young adult marijuana users are thus a high-risk population and may require an
intervention that motivates marijuana reductions by increasing engagement in constructive
alternatives to marijuana use. Brief Motivational Interventions (BMIS) have demonstrated
efficacy for alcohol use in college students, but lack consistent evidence of efficacy for
marijuana use. This research team has developed a supplement to alcohol BMIs, the
Substance-Free Activity Session (SFAS), which directly targets the behavioral economic
mechanisms of both substance-free reinforcement and delayed reward discounting by
encouraging the development of and commitment to academic and career goals, and by
highlighting the impact of day-to-day patterns of alcohol use and academic engagement on
these goals. A controlled pilot trial found that the SFAS improved BMI outcomes in a sample
of heavy drinking college students, and the ongoing parent trial to this revision is
replicating and extending those results. This study will evaluate the SFAS using a
randomized 3-group (BMI + SFAS vs. BMI + Relaxation Attention Control, vs. Assessment Only)
pilot trial with 120 undergraduates (50% female, 40% minority) who report using marijuana on
> 5 days in the past-month. It is hypothesized that at the 1-month and the next-semester
follow-ups (follow-ups are wedded to the academic calendar to allow for representative
measurement of marijuana use and activity patterns) BMI+SFAS participants will report
significantly lower levels of marijuana use and problems, and that these reductions will
exceed those of BMI + Relaxation and Assessment-Only participants. Exploratory analyses will
test the hypotheses that (a) the BMI + SFAS will be more effective for participants who
report higher baseline marijuana reinforcing efficacy and delayed reward discounting; and
(b) the advantage of BMI + SFAS on marijuana use will be mediated by increased participation
in substance-free activities. Support for our hypotheses would extend behavioral economic
theory and would provide initial validation for an approach that could be used to reduce
marijuana misuse among the increasing population of college students who misuse marijuana.
Furthermore, given the focus of the SFAS is to increase academic/campus engagement, this
work has the potential for widespread dissemination.
Inclusion Criteria:
- freshman or sophomore at the university of Memphis
- 5 or more past-month days of marijuana use
Exclusion Criteria:
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