CARS: Cannabis and Alcohol Reduction Study

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 13 to 17 years
• All sexes
• No healthy volunteers
• Child

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

About this study

Official title: Brief Computerized Intervention for Reducing Adolescent Cannabis and Alcohol Use

Conditions

Cannabis Use, Alcohol Use, Unspecified, Substance Use, Substance Use Disorders

Being tested

modified Approach-Avoidance Task (mAAT), which aims to modify automatic approach bias, modified Approach-Avoidance Task (mAAT) that does not aim to modify automatic approach bias.

Medical subject headings

Alcohol Drinking, Substance-Related Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

• modified Approach-Avoidance Task (mAAT), which aims to modify automatic approach biasBehavioural

  Participants will undergo a baseline assessment before completing computerized tasks. During the baseline assessment, participants will be asked questions about alcohol and cannabis use. We will also ask questions about the way participants think about things, past life experiences related to substance use, and questions about how participants feel about reducing their substance use. Then, participants will complete a series computerized tasks where they will push and pull a joystick in response to images that are presented on a screen or where they will try to get a high score. During the computerized tasks, we will also be measuring brain activity using EEG. During the study, participants will also be asked to respond to questions about their health and behavior using an app on a smartphone or tablet using a secure program. Participants in the Treatment Group will then complete four sessions of the modified Approach-Avoidance Task (mAAT), which aims to modify automatic approach bias.

• modified Approach-Avoidance Task (mAAT) that does not aim to modify automatic approach bias.Behavioural

  Participants will undergo a baseline assessment before completing computerized tasks. During the baseline assessment, participants will be asked questions about alcohol and cannabis use. We will also ask questions about the way participants think about things, past life experiences related to substance use, and questions about how participants feel about reducing their substance use. Then, participants will complete a series computerized tasks where they will push and pull a joystick in response to images that are presented on a screen or where they will try to get a high score. During the computerized tasks, we will also be measuring brain activity using EEG. During the study, participants will also be asked to respond to questions about their health and behavior using an app on a smartphone or tablet using a secure program. Participants in the Control Group will then complete four sessions of an Approach-Avoidance Task (mAAT) that does not aim to modify automatic approach bias.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

1. Change in cannabis use as assessed by Timeline Followback

   The TLFB is a calendar-assisted semi-structured interview that will be used to assess cannabis and alcohol use since the last assessment. The TLFB will assess the number of days a person used cannabis over the past 90 days compared to the 90 days prior to enrolling in this study.

   Measured: Baseline and Three-Month Follow-up

2. Change in alcohol use as assessed by Timeline Followback

   The TLFB is a calendar-assisted semi-structured interview that will be used to assess cannabis and alcohol use since the last assessment. The TLFB will assess the number of days a person consumed alcohol over the past 90 days compared to the 90 days prior to enrolling in this study.

   Measured: Baseline and Three-Month Follow-up

3. Change in Cannabis Approach Bias (D-Score)

   D scores will be calculated for each participant at baseline, posttest, and three-month follow-up. Participants' mean reaction times (RTs) during the approach cannabis trials will be subtracted from the mean avoid cannabis trial RTs. These scores are then divided by the SD across all cannabis trials. Positive scores indicate an approach bias for cannabis stimuli.

   Measured: Baseline, One-Week Follow-up, and Three-Month Follow-up

4. Change Cannabis Approach Bias (D-Score)

   D scores will be calculated for each participant at baseline, posttest, and three-month follow-up. Participants' mean reaction times (RTs) during the approach alcohol trials will be subtracted from the mean avoid alcohol trial RTs. These scores are then divided by the SD across all alcohol trials. Positive scores indicate an approach bias for alcohol stimuli.

   Measured: Baseline, One-Week Follow-up, and Three-Month Follow-up

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

1. First posted3 Aug 2022
2. Study start25 Jan 2023
3. Primary completion30 Sep 2026 (estimated)
4. Study completion1 Oct 2026 (estimated)

Resources

• Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
• Other trials for Cannabis UseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
• More trials run by Medical University of South CarolinaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
• 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.