Alcohol Use DisorderPethNCT04064463
Dual Reinforcement Contingency Management for Alcohol Use Disorders
A study testing Contingency management in people with Alcohol Use Disorder and Contingency Management, run by UConn Health at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a direct biomarker of alcohol that can detect moderate to heavy drinking with high sensitivity and specificity over 3-week periods. Reinforcing negative PEth results alongside attendance may increase the proportion of participants who respond to CM during and post treatment. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Alcohol Use Disorder, Contingency Management
- What is being tested?
- Contingency management
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 74 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 22 Jan 2020to 25 Nov 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- in intensive outpatient treatment
- DSM-5 diagnosis of an alcohol use disorder
Who cannot join
- have a condition that may hinder study participation
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a direct biomarker of alcohol that can detect moderate to heavy drinking with high sensitivity and specificity over 3-week periods. Reinforcing negative PEth results alongside attendance may increase the proportion of participants who respond to CM during and post treatment. In the proposed study, the investigators will collect PEth samples every 3 weeks for 12 weeks in 150 participants initiating outpatient treatment for alcohol use disorders. Using a two-group randomized design, participants will be assigned to standard care with PEth monitoring alone or with CM for attending treatment and submitting PEth negative samples. Compared to standard care and monitoring, the investigators expect that the CM intervention will result in greater attendance, more PEth negative samples, and higher proportions of self-reported non-drinking days, along with lower proportions of heavy drinking days, over the short term and the long term, measured throughout a 12-month follow-up. The investigators anticipate that the reinforcement intervention may decrease other drug use and sexual risk behaviors that spread HIV, reduce psychiatric symptoms, and improve quality of life as well.
- Conditions
- Alcohol Use Disorder, Contingency Management
- Being tested
- Standard care, Contingency management
- Medical subject headings
- Alcoholism
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Standard careBehavioural
standard treatment for substance use disorders, along with sample monitoring
Contingency managementBehavioural
Participants can earn reinforcement for attending group and abstinence from alcohol
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | Active comparator | Standard care Receives: Behavioral: Standard care |
| Experimental Group | Experimental | Standard care plus contingency management Receives: Behavioral: Standard care; Behavioral: Contingency management |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Group attendance
longest consecutive days attended groups
Measured: 12 weeks
Alcohol abstinence
number of negative PEth samples
Measured: 12 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Aug 2019
- Study start22 Jan 2020
- Primary completion25 Nov 2025
- Study completion25 Nov 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Alcohol Use DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 74 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- UConn Health
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Sheila Alessi, UConn Health
- Investigators
- Sheila Alessi, Ph.D., Principal investigator, UConn Health
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04064463
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 19-146-2
- Acronym
- Peth
- Status last verified
- Dec 2025
- First submitted
- 20 Aug 2019
- Last updated
- 9 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Dual Reinforcement Contingency Management for Alcohol Use Disorders
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04064463
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Peth / 19-146-2
- Conditions
- Alcohol Use Disorder, Contingency Management
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 74 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- UConn HealthUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Study start
- 22 Jan 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 25 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 25 Nov 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 Aug 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a direct biomarker of alcohol that can detect moderate to heavy drinking with high sensitivity and specificity over 3-week periods. Reinforcing negative PEth results alongside attendance may increase the proportion of participants who respond to CM during and post treatment. In the proposed study, the investigators will collect PEth samples every 3 weeks for 12 weeks in 150 participants initiating outpatient treatment for alcohol use disorders. Using a two-group randomized design, participants will be assigned to standard care with PEth monitoring alone or with CM for attending treatment and submitting PEth negative samples. Compared to standard care and monitoring, the investigators expect that the CM intervention will result in greater attendance, more PEth negative samples, and higher proportions of self-reported non-drinking days, along with lower proportions of heavy drinking days, over the short term and the long term, measured throughout a 12-month follow-up. The investigators anticipate that the reinforcement intervention may decrease other drug use and sexual risk behaviors that spread HIV, reduce psychiatric symptoms, and improve quality of life as well.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Standard careStandard care |
| Experimental Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Standard care, Behavioral: Contingency managementStandard care plus contingency management |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- in intensive outpatient treatment
- DSM-5 diagnosis of an alcohol use disorder
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- have a condition that may hinder study participation
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Standard carestandard treatment for substance use disorders, along with sample monitoring | Behavioural | Control Group, Experimental Group |
| Contingency managementParticipants can earn reinforcement for attending group and abstinence from alcohol | Behavioural | Experimental Group |
Primary outcome
Group attendance
Time frame: 12 weeks
longest consecutive days attended groups
Alcohol abstinence
Time frame: 12 weeks
number of negative PEth samples
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Feb 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Sheila Alessi, Ph.D. principal investigator
UConn Health
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Contingency management in people with Alcohol Use Disorder and Contingency Management, run by UConn Health at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Group attendance (time frame: 12 weeks). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Feb 2026.