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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2014 Dec;82(6):964-72.
doi: 10.1037/a0037496. Epub 2014 Aug 4.

Adding an Internet-delivered treatment to an efficacious treatment package for opioid dependence

Darren R Christensen  1 , Reid D Landes  2 , Lisa Jackson  2 , Lisa A Marsch  3 , Michael J Mancino  4 , Mohit P Chopra  5 , Warren K Bickel  6
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Adding an Internet-delivered treatment to an efficacious treatment package for opioid dependence

Darren R Christensen et al. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2014 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the benefit of adding an Internet-delivered behavior therapy to a buprenorphine medication program and voucher-based motivational incentives.

Method: A block-randomized, unblinded, parallel, 12-week treatment trial was conducted with 170 opioid-dependent adult patients (mean age = 34.3 years; 54.1% male; 95.3% White). Participants received an Internet-based community reinforcement approach intervention plus contingency management (CRA+) and buprenorphine or contingency management alone (CM-alone) plus buprenorphine. The primary outcomes, measured over the course of treatment, were longest continuous abstinence, total abstinence, and days retained in treatment.

Results: Compared to those receiving CM-alone, CRA+ recipients exhibited, on average, 9.7 total days more of abstinence (95% confidence interval [CI = 2.3, 17.2]) and had a reduced hazard of dropping out of treatment (hazard ratio = 0.47; 95% CI [0.26, 0.85]). Prior treatment for opioid dependence significantly moderated the additional improvement of CRA+ for longest continuous days of abstinence.

Conclusions: These results provide further evidence that an Internet-based CRA+ treatment is efficacious and adds clinical benefits to a contingency management/medication based program for opioid dependence.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00929253.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
JARS Flow of Participants
Figure 2
Figure 2
Participant retention in the two study groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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