Co-Active Therapeutic Theatre (Co-ATT) for Dual-Diagnosis Patients

Boston Medical Center (BMC)

Status: Begins enrollment in 9 months

Conditions: Mental Health Issue; Substance Use Disorders

Treatments: Behavioral: Co-Active Therapeutic Theatre (Co-ATT)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06187701

H-43656

Details and patient eligibility

About

Drama Therapy involves of the use of theatrical techniques (such as script development, acting exercises, improvisation, etc.) to help treat patients' mental illness and improve their functioning and overall sense of wellbeing.

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a specific version of drama therapy for the treatment of patients suffering from both mental illness (such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc.) and one or more substance use disorders. The study will also assess participants feelings and thoughts about the drama therapy intervention (such as whether or not they enjoyed it and if/how they found it helpful).

The drama therapy intervention will consist of one group drama therapy session per week, for a total of twelve weeks (i.e., total twelve sessions) followed by a single performance (with composition of the audience determined by unanimous agreement of the participants) of the dramatic work (script) produced by the participants during the course of the drama therapy intervention.

Enrollment: 10 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosed with at least one primary psychiatric disorder, and
• Diagnosed with at least one substance use disorder
• Both disorders active (i.e., meeting DSM-V criteria for each disorder (i.e., with ongoing psychiatric symptoms and ongoing substance use)
• Enrolled in the Addiction Psychiatry Treatment Program (APTP) at Boston Medical Center (i.e., scheduled for follow-up appointments with therapist and/or psychiatrist in APTP).
• Currently taking medications and those not currently taking medications

Exclusion criteria

• Incarcerated persons
• Pregnant women
• Inability to understand and/or sign informed consent form

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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10 participants in 1 patient group

Co-Active Therapeutic Theatre (Co-ATT)

Experimental group

Description:

Drama therapy will be used to treat participants with co-occurring primary psychiatric and substance use disorders

Treatment:

Behavioral: Co-Active Therapeutic Theatre (Co-ATT)