Depression Treatment for Low Income Substance Users (LET'S ACT)

University of North Carolina (UNC)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Substance Use Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: LETS ACT Behavioral Activation Treatment; Behavioral: Nondirective Therapy (NDT)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT01189552

R01DA026424 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective of the current study is to evaluate the effects of a brief, behavioral activation treatment (the Life Enhancement Treatment for Substance Use; LET'S ACT) on long term outcomes of substance use, HIV risk behaviors and mechanisms of treatment response (depressive symptoms, environmental reward, behavioral activation).

Full description

Approximately 22% of substance users suffer from elevated depressive symptoms, which is associated with higher rates of substance abuse treatment dropout, relapse to substance use, and HIV risk behavior. Few interventions targeting reinforcement principles have been developed to meet the specific needs of treatment seeking substance users. One approach that may be especially appropriate in this regard is behavioral activation (BA), which aims to increase individuals' engagement in pleasant events, thereby increasing contact with positive reinforcement and decreasing the frequency of aversive events. BA has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of depression, and this uncomplicated and straightforward approach may be especially appropriate for the specific needs of an inner city low income substance abusing sample. Further, BA compliments standard substance abuse treatment in several key practical and theoretical ways as it is more easily adopted by staff in these settings, more time efficient (e.g., fewer and shorter sessions, group format), more easily understood by patients who suffer from cognitive limitations due to low education level and chronic drug use, and can incorporate aspects of sobriety into its treatment components. In an initial Stage 1 development project, a version of BA, the Life Enhancement Treatment for Substance Use (LETS ACT), was developed and specifically tailored for inner-city low income minority substance users with elevated depressive symptoms. Results demonstrated that LETS ACT led to a significantly greater reduction in self-reported depressive symptoms and a significant increase in enjoyment and reward value of activities as compared to the TAU control group (Daughters et al., 2008). While preliminary findings prove promising, many questions remain unanswered and several extensions of this work are necessary, including an assessment of post treatment substance use and HIV risk behavior, a contact-matched control, and a larger sample size to allow for more complex analyses of the mechanisms underlying these outcomes. Thus, the objective of the present proposal is to follow-up on our previous Stage 1 treatment development efforts and small scale randomized control trial (RCT) with a fully-powered Stage 2 RCT comparing LETS ACT to nondirective therapy (NDT) among a sample of 263 low income depressed substance users currently receiving residential substance abuse treatment in inner-city Washington, DC.

Enrollment: 263 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• between 18 and 65 years of age
• beginning their last month of residential treatment

Exclusion criteria

• limited mental competency [Mini Mental State Examination score < 23]
• psychosis
• the use of psychotropic medication for < 3 months
• the inability to give informed, voluntary, written consent to participate

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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263 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

LETS ACT Behavioral Activation Treatment

Active Comparator group

Description:

LETS ACT is based on the empirically validated Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression (BAT-D; Lejuez, Hopko, \& Hopko, 2001). LETS ACT is based on the belief that the best way to improve mood, remain sober, and to make long-term life changes is by changing and increasing one's activity level. It has been modified to accommodate the needs of a substance using population currently receiving inpatient substance use treatment. Treatment is provided over a 4-week period and is provided in small group format, with each group consisting of 3-5 patients.

Treatment:

Behavioral: LETS ACT Behavioral Activation Treatment

Nondirective Therapy (NDT)

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

In NDT, the therapist will create an accepting, nonjudgmental, empathic environment to continuously direct client attention to primary feelings, and to facilitate accepting of affective experience using supportive statements, reflective listening, and empathic communications. Treatment is provided over a 4-week period and is provided in small group format, with each group consisting of 3-5 patients.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Nondirective Therapy (NDT)