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NCT Number: NCT03942770

Remote Alcohol Monitoring to Facilitate Abstinence From Alcohol: Exp 2

Directly reinforcing abstinence from alcohol with monetary incentives is an effective treatment for alcohol dependence, but barriers in obtaining frequent, verified biochemical measures of abstinence limit the dissemination of this treatment approach. As our feasibility study demonstrates, remote breathalyzer monitoring drastically improves the practicality of delivering an alcohol contingency management intervention. In Experiment 2, we will test whether the addition of remote abstinence incentives to treatment as usual improves outpatient treatment outcomes and prevents relapse following inpatient detoxification at a regional hospital system. We will also assess whether readmission rates are reduced using a newly developed smartphone app and breathalyzer.

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This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

Conditions

Alcohol Use Disorder Alcohol-Related Disorders Alcoholism Chemically-Induced Disorders Mental Disorders Substance-Related Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Kentucky Healthcare, Lexington, Kentucky, United States

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Recently completed or currently completing an alcohol detoxification program through the Carilion Clinic or University of Kentucky Healthcare system.
  • Meet DSM-V criteria for alcohol use disorder.
  • Abstinent from alcohol at the time of consent.

Exclusion criteria

  • Alcohol use disorder is secondary to another substance use disorder.

Treatment and study plan

Contingency Management

Behavioral

Monetary incentives are delivered to participants contingent upon on-time breathalyzer submissions and verified abstinence from alcohol.

Other names: Contingent incentives

Primary outcomes

  1. Pattern of abstinence from alcohol during intervention

    Time frame: up to 66 weeks

    Breathalyzer assessments will be collected during the treatment period. This outcome measure will consist of the percentage of days without alcohol use as detected by the breathalyzers.

  2. Treatment acceptability

    Time frame: A total of 12 assessment sessions spanning over a 66 week period

    Participant ratings of treatment acceptability on a customized Treatment Acceptability questionnaire will be collected during assessment sessions. Each question will be scored from 1 (low) to 4 (high) and will assess distinct components of the treatment. Questions will be interpreted and scored individually and not be summed together.

  3. Time to relapse

    Time frame: A total of 12 assessment sessions spanning over a 66 week period

    For this outcome, we will conduct survival analyses to compare relapse across study groups.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Mikhail N Koffarnus

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Registry information

Official study title

Remote Alcohol Monitoring to Facilitate Abstinence Reinforcement With an Underserved Population

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
May 8, 2019
Registry last updated
Apr 6, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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