Computerized Treatment Study to Reduce Cannabis and Alcohol Use in Teens Ages 13 to 17

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a computerized treatment designed for adolescents aged 13 to 17 who are seeking help for alcohol andor cannabis use. The study aims to assess changes in substance use behavior and automatic approach bias related to cannabis and alcohol. Follow-up evaluations are scheduled at one month and three months after treatment to monitor progress. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The Treatment Group will complete four sessions of a modified Approach-Avoidance Task mAAT that targets changing automatic approach bias toward substances. The Control Group will complete four sessions of a similar task that does not aim to modify this bias. Both groups will undergo baseline assessments involving questions about substance use, thoughts, past experiences, and feelings about reducing use. Brain activity will be measured using EEG during computerized joystick tasks, and participants will report health and behavior information via a secure app on a smartphone or tablet. During the study, participants will complete computerized tasks, answer questionnaires, and have their brain activity monitored. Assessments will measure changes in cannabis and alcohol use using the Timeline Followback method and changes in Cannabis Approach Bias D-Score at baseline, one-week, and three-month follow-ups. The study is double-blinded and randomized, with all procedures designed to carefully track substance use and related behaviors over time.

CARS: Cannabis and Alcohol Reduction Study