Delivery of Anxiety Disorder Treatment in Addictions Centers

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Substance Use Disorders; Anxiety Disorders

Treatments: Behavioral: CALM-SUD; Behavioral: Treatment as usual

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01764698

7K23DA031677

Details and patient eligibility

About

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent among those with substance use disorders, but the majority of addictions treatment centers provide little to no evidence-based treatment for anxiety disorders. Furthermore, tension reduction models suggest that treating anxiety should also improve substance use outcomes. This study is aimed at improving symptoms for people who have substance use and anxiety problems. The study is comparing regular Intensive Outpatient treatment for addiction to Intensive Outpatient treatment for addiction plus treatment for anxiety disorders. Clinicians at a community addictions clinic will participate by receiving training in delivering cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders and will deliver the treatment to the patient participants. They will also complete some questionnaires. Patient participants will be asked to complete a baseline assessment. Those who are eligible will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups. Those who are assigned to addiction treatment as usual will continue their regular care at the Matrix Institute. Participants who are assigned to also receive the anxiety treatment will be asked to participate in 6, 90-min treatment sessions and an orientation session. All participants will be asked to complete post-treatment and follow-up assessments. The assessments should take approximately 1 hour, and the follow-up assessment will be completed 6 months after treatment is over. It is hypothesized that those who get the additional anxiety disorder treatment will show greater improvement in anxiety and substance use outcomes than those who get Intensive Outpatient Program without the anxiety disorder treatment.

Enrollment: 98 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 18-60 years old
• speak English
• meet diagnostic criteria for at least one anxiety disorder
• score at least an 8 on the OASIS (see Assessments), indicating at least moderate but clinically significant anxiety symptoms
• be enrolled in the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at the Matrix Institute (community partner)
• meet diagnostic criteria for substance abuse or dependence

Exclusion criteria

• have unstable medical conditions
• marked cognitive impairment
• active suicidal intent or plan
• active psychosis
• unstable Bipolar I disorder.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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98 participants in 2 patient groups

CALM-SUD

Experimental group

Description:

Participants receive the adaptation of the Coordinated Anxiety Learning and Management (CALM) protocol that demonstrated effectiveness in a large primary care sample. CALM will be adapted for those with anxiety and substance use disorder comorbidity, and will consist of an orientation session and 6 group treatment sessions. These participants will also receive substance abuse treatment as usual at a community Intensive Outpatient Program.

Treatment:

Behavioral: CALM-SUD

Treatment as usual

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in this arm receive the standard Intensive Outpatient treatment for their substance use disorder at a community addictions treatment facility.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Treatment as usual