Evaluating Caregiver Involvement in Primary Care-Based Brief Interventions for Adolescent Alcohol Use Problems

ConditionsAlcohol Use Adolescent Mild Alcohol Use Disorder Mild Substance Use Disorder

Trial statusRecruiting

Trial phaseNot applicable

Trial typeInterventional

Biological sexAll

Age12-17

SponsorIndiana University

About this trial

Intervention for mild severity alcohol use among U.S. teens is crucial, as alcohol is the most commonly used substance in this age group, yet few receive the necessary interventions. Primary care, where over 90% of youth regularly visit, is an ideal setting for identifying and addressing mild alcohol use disorder (AUD) through brief interventions like motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). However, for teens with mild AUD, a single brief session may not be sufficient, raising questions about the role of caregiver involvement. This study seeks to determine the most effective level of caregiver involvement-no involvement, a single live session, or an online self-paced program-in reducing alcohol use among adolescents with mild AUD in primary care settings. The study also explores the impact of these interventions on other outcomes such as substance use and psychosocial functioning, as well as the factors influencing treatment response. The results will guide the selection and implementation of effective, scalable interventions in primary care to address youth alcohol use disorders.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

12-17 years old;

Mild to moderate severity for alcohol use (based on standardized surveys from their primary care provider or clinical indication) or other substance use

English language fluency

Disqualifiers

N/A

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

Teen Intervene - Adolescent Only
Behavioral
Teen Intervene (TI) is delivered over two or three, 45- to 60-minute sessions (2 teen sessions +/- 1 caregiver session) to reduce youth substance use, increase motivation for abstinence, and promote use of existing coping strategies. TI is an adolescent-appropriate adaptation of motivational enhancement therapy (MET), and includes a discussion of readiness to change, goal setting, personal feedback, a functional analysis of substance use, and a review of coping skills.
Teen Intervene with Caregiver Session
Behavioral
Teen Intervene (TI) is delivered over two or three, 45- to 60-minute sessions (2 teen sessions +/- 1 caregiver session) to reduce youth substance use, increase motivation for abstinence, and promote use of existing coping strategies. TI is an adolescent-appropriate adaptation of motivational enhancement therapy (MET), and includes a discussion of readiness to change, goal setting, personal feedback, a functional analysis of substance use, and a review of coping skills. In this condition, the caregiver session will address caregiver expectations around youth substance use and strategies for promoting positive youth behavior change including reduced substance use.
Family Check Up
Behavioral
Family Check-Up Online (FCU-O) is a self-paced, parent-driven, fully HIPAA compliant online version of the Family Check-Up (FCU), a brief intervention that integrates assessment, motivation-enhancement, and skill building to help parents effectively manage behavior and build positive relationships with their children aged 2-17 in order to reduce emotional and behavioral problems among youth.

Treatment groups

615 Participants

are divided into 3 treatment groups

Group A: Teen Intervene - Adolescent OnlyActive comparator 1 intervention

Group B: Teen Intervene - Caregiver InvolvementExperimental treatment 1 intervention

Group C: Teen Intervene - Online Caregiver Support ToolExperimental treatment 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

Timeline Follow-Back

30 items that assess daily alcohol usage over the past month will be administered to all participants. Participants will be queried about number of standard drinks consumed each day.

Time frame