%0 Journal Article %J Psychol Addict Behav %D 2015 %T Computer-assisted behavioral therapy and contingency management for cannabis use disorder. %A Budney, Alan J %A Stanger, Catherine %A Tilford, J Mick %A Scherer, Emily B %A Brown, Pamela C %A Li, Zhongze %A Li, Zhigang %A Walker, Denise D %K Adult %K Cognitive Therapy %K Female %K Humans %K Male %K Marijuana Abuse %K Middle Aged %K Motivation %K Motivational Interviewing %K Psychotherapy, Brief %K Substance-Related Disorders %K Therapy, Computer-Assisted %K Treatment Outcome %K Young Adult %X

Computer-assisted behavioral treatments hold promise for enhancing access to and reducing costs of treatments for substance use disorders. This study assessed the efficacy of a computer-assisted version of an efficacious, multicomponent treatment for cannabis use disorders (CUD), that is, motivational enhancement therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and abstinence-based contingency-management (MET/CBT/CM). An initial cost comparison was also performed. Seventy-five adult participants, 59% Black, seeking treatment for CUD received either, MET only (BRIEF), therapist-delivered MET/CBT/CM (THERAPIST), or computer-delivered MET/CBT/CM (COMPUTER). During treatment, the THERAPIST and COMPUTER conditions engendered longer durations of continuous cannabis abstinence than BRIEF (p < .05), but did not differ from each other. Abstinence rates and reduction in days of use over time were maintained in COMPUTER at least as well as in THERAPIST. COMPUTER averaged approximately $130 (p < .05) less per case than THERAPIST in therapist costs, which offset most of the costs of CM. Results add to promising findings that illustrate potential for computer-assisted delivery methods to enhance access to evidence-based care, reduce costs, and possibly improve outcomes. The observed maintenance effects and the cost findings require replication in larger clinical trials.

%B Psychol Addict Behav %V 29 %P 501-11 %8 2015 Sep %G eng %N 3 %R 10.1037/adb0000078 %0 Journal Article %J Drug Alcohol Depend %D 2011 %T An initial trial of a computerized behavioral intervention for cannabis use disorder. %A Budney, Alan J %A Fearer, Stephanie %A Walker, Denise D %A Stanger, Catherine %A Thostenson, Jeff %A Grabinski, Michael %A Bickel, Warren K %K Adult %K Cognitive Therapy %K Computer-Assisted Instruction %K Female %K Humans %K Male %K Marijuana Abuse %K Motivation %K Young Adult %X

The most potent outcomes for cannabis use disorders have been observed with a combination of three evidence-based interventions, motivational enhancement therapy (MET), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and abstinence-based contingency-management (CM). Access to this intervention remains limited because of cost and service availability issues. This report describes the initial stages of a project designed to develop and test a computer-assisted version of MET/CBT/CM that could address many of the current barriers to its dissemination. A nonrandomized, 12-week comparison study assigned 38 adults seeking treatment for a cannabis use disorder to either therapist-delivered (n=22) or computer-delivered (n=16) MET/CBT/CM. Attendance, retention, and cannabis use outcomes did not differ significantly between groups, and there were no indications of superior outcomes favoring therapist delivery. Participants provided positive ratings of the computer-delivered sessions. These preliminary findings suggest that computer-assisted delivery of MET/CBT/CM is acceptable to outpatients and does not adversely impact compliance or outcomes achieved during treatment with MET/CBT/CM for cannabis use disorders. Assessment of post-treatment outcomes and replication in randomized trials are needed to determine reliability and longer term effects. As observed in a growing number of studies, computerized therapies have the potential to increase access to, reduce costs, and enhance fidelity of providing evidence-based treatments without sacrificing and possibly enhancing effectiveness.

%B Drug Alcohol Depend %V 115 %P 74-9 %8 2011 May 1 %G eng %N 1-2 %R 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.10.014