Retraining Attention to Treat Alcohol Dependence and Social Anxiety (AMP)

University of Cincinnati

Status: Completed

Conditions: Anxiety Disorders; Alcohol Drinking

Treatments: Behavioral: Anxiety Attention Training; Behavioral: Alcohol Attention Training; Behavioral: Control Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT01886716

1R21AA021151 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this research is to test a computerized intervention for people with co-occurring social anxiety and alcohol dependence. The intervention seeks to reduce symptoms by shifting attention away from alcohol-relevant and/or socially threatening cues. The investigators expect that participants receiving alcohol or anxiety training will experience reductions in those specific symptoms compared to participants in a control condition. The investigators also expect that participants receiving combined alcohol and anxiety training will show the largest reductions in alcohol and anxiety symptoms, relative to participants in any other condition.

Full description

Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) and Social Anxiety Disorder are disabling and chronic conditions. In spite of these common and significantly overlapping problems, insight into the mechanisms linking alcohol dependence and social anxiety symptoms is minimal, and there are not well established treatment guidelines for this population. In this study, the investigators seek to develop a computerized intervention for individuals with symptoms of social anxiety and alcohol dependence. The intervention attempts to reduce symptoms by shifting attention away from alcohol-relevant and/or socially threatening cues. The investigators expect that participants receiving alcohol or anxiety training will experience reductions in those specific symptoms compared to participants in a control condition. The investigators also expect that participants receiving combined alcohol and anxiety training will show the largest reductions in alcohol and anxiety symptoms, relative to participants in any other condition.

Enrollment: 115 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Current alcohol dependence
• Elevated social anxiety symptoms
• Willingness to consider cutting down on drinking

Exclusion criteria

• Current psychosis
• Unmanaged manic symptoms
• Significant cognitive impairment
• Other drug use in past month
• Receiving cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol use disorder or social anxiety
• Unable to read

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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115 participants in 4 patient groups, including a placebo group

Anxiety Attention Training only

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive Anxiety Attention Training and placebo Alcohol training.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Anxiety Attention Training

Alcohol Attention Training only

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive Alcohol Attention Training and placebo Anxiety training.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Alcohol Attention Training

Anxiety + Alcohol Attention Training

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive both Anxiety Attention Training and Alcohol Attention Training.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Alcohol Attention Training

Behavioral: Anxiety Attention Training

Control Training

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive placebo Anxiety Training and placebo Alcohol training.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Control Training