A Randomized and Controlled Acceptability Trial of an Internet-based Therapy among Inpatients with Co-occurring Substance Use and Other Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract

Objectives

Technology-assisted treatment (TAT) holds promise for innovative assessment, prevention, and treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). The widespread access to TAT makes it a potentially cost-effective and inventive option available for delivery in multiple settings. This study assessed acceptability of the web-based Therapeutic Education System (TES) in hospitalized dual diagnosis patients with SUDs and other psychiatric disorders. Methods: Eligible participants were nonpsychotic, voluntary patients with self-reported drug or alcohol use in the 30 days prior to admission. They were randomly assigned to treatment as usual (TAU, n = 47) or TAU + TES (n = 48). Acceptability of this Internet-based intervention was assessed by observed utilization and self-report. Results: The TAU + TES group (# analyzed = 41) completed a mean total of 5.5 (SEM = 0.8) modules with about one module per day while hospitalized and rated TES highly on several constructs of acceptability, including novelty, usefulness and ease of understanding. Conclusions: These findings support further exploration of TAT for treatment expansion in a high acuity, dual diagnosis population and indicate the value of future research on efficacy.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02674477

Keywords:

• Dual diagnosis
• technology
• therapeutic education system
• inpatient
• acceptability
• substance use disorder
• psychiatric co-morbidity

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Linda Felch and Laura Prichett for their assistance with statistical analyses.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. ECS has consulted, done work for, or served on advisory boards to the following organizations: Analgesic Solutions, Caron, Indivior, Medscape, The Oak Group, Otsuka, Pinney Associates, and Up To Date.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by The William R. Breakey Scholars Program in Mental Health Services Practice and Research. The funding source was not involved in the study design, research, nor the preparation of the article.