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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01886716

Retraining Attention to Treat Alcohol Dependence and Social Anxiety

The purpose of this research is to test a computerized intervention for people with co-occurring social anxiety and alcohol dependence. The intervention seeks to reduce symptoms by shifting attention away from alcohol-relevant and/or socially threatening cues. The investigators expect that participants receiving alcohol or anxiety training will experience reductions in those specific symptoms compared to participants in a control condition. The investigators also expect that participants receiving combined alcohol and anxiety training will show the largest reductions in alcohol and anxiety symptoms, relative to participants in any other condition.

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Key information

Conditions

Alcohol Drinking Alcohol-Related Disorders Alcoholism Anxiety Disorders Behavior Chemically-Induced Disorders Drinking Behavior Mental Disorders Phobia, Social Phobic Disorders Substance-Related Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Cincinnati Department of Family and Community Medicine

Cincinnati, Ohio, 45206, United States

About this study

Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) and Social Anxiety Disorder are disabling and chronic conditions. In spite of these common and significantly overlapping problems, insight into the mechanisms linking alcohol dependence and social anxiety symptoms is minimal, and there are not well established treatment guidelines for this population. In this study, the investigators seek to develop a computerized intervention for individuals with symptoms of social anxiety and alcohol dependence. The intervention attempts to reduce symptoms by shifting attention away from alcohol-relevant and/or socially threatening cues. The investigators expect that participants receiving alcohol or anxiety training will experience reductions in those specific symptoms compared to participants in a control condition. The investigators also expect that participants receiving combined alcohol and anxiety training will show the largest reductions in alcohol and anxiety symptoms, relative to participants in any other condition.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Current alcohol dependence
  • Elevated social anxiety symptoms
  • Willingness to consider cutting down on drinking

Exclusion criteria

  • Current psychosis
  • Unmanaged manic symptoms
  • Significant cognitive impairment
  • Other drug use in past month
  • Receiving cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol use disorder or social anxiety
  • Unable to read

Treatment and study plan

Anxiety Attention Training

Behavioral

Anxiety Attention Training will preferentially direct participants' attention away from reminders of anxiety.

Alcohol Attention Training

Behavioral

Alcohol Attention Training will preferentially direct participants' attention away from reminders of alcohol.

Control Training

Behavioral

Placebo Anxiety Training and Placebo Alcohol Training will not preferentially direct participants' attention away from reminders of anxiety or alcohol.

Primary outcomes

  1. Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale

    Time frame: Baseline, weekly throughout the 4-week trial, and in the follow-up sessions (1 week and 1 month follow-ups)

    The experimenter-administered Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (Liebowitz, 1987) was the primary measure to assess social anxiety symptoms. This well-validated instrument assesses fear and avoidance across a range of 24 social and performance situations during the course of the previous week. A total LSAS score was computed, ranging from 0 (no fear or avoidance) to 144 (the greatest level of fear and avoidance).

  2. The Daily Drinking Questionnaire

    Time frame: Baseline, weekly throughout the 4-week trial, and in the follow-up sessions (1 week and 1 month follow-ups)

    The Daily Drinking Questionnaire (Collins, Parks, & Marlatt, 1985) was the primary measure used to assess weekly alcohol consumption. This calendar-based measure was administered by the experimenter once per week to monitor changes in symptoms. The measure assessed the total number of drinks in the past week.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Cincinnati

Other

Collaborators

  • Brown University
  • Miami University
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Registry information

Official study title

Cognitive Bias Modification: A Novel Intervention for Alcohol Dependence and Social Anxiety

Acronym: AMP

Important dates

Study start
2013
Primary completion
2014
Study completion
2014
First posted
Jun 26, 2013
Registry last updated
Dec 28, 2016

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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