Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Alcoholism

Overseen By Robert C Schlauch, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of South Florida

Disqualifiers: Acute psychosis, Severe cognitive impairment, Current drug use, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 3 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 6

Duration: 12 weeks

250 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a form of talk therapy. Researchers aim to understand the stages of recovery, including factors that help initiate and sustain changes in drinking habits. Participants will undergo 12 weeks of therapy and complete regular assessments during and after treatment. This trial suits individuals diagnosed with AUD who live near the study site and are not currently experiencing severe mental health issues like psychosis. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding recovery processes and improving future treatment strategies.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It is best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is safe for treating Alcohol Use Disorder?

Research has shown that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a well-researched and safe treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Over the past 30 years, many studies have demonstrated that CBT effectively addresses various substance use issues, including alcohol use.

One study found that individuals using digital CBT had higher abstinence rates, meaning more participants stopped drinking compared to those receiving standard treatments. This suggests that CBT can be a powerful tool in helping people control their alcohol use. Importantly, no serious side effects were reported, indicating that it is generally well-tolerated.

CBT is already widely used, including in digital forms, making it a trusted option. For those considering joining this trial, research strongly supports the safety of CBT. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for alcoholism stands out because it directly addresses the thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to alcohol use disorder. Unlike traditional treatments that may rely on medication or inpatient detoxification, CBT empowers individuals with practical skills to manage cravings and prevent relapse through techniques like Motivational Interviewing. Researchers are excited about CBT because it offers a non-pharmacological approach, potentially reducing side effects and making long-term recovery more sustainable by fostering self-awareness and coping strategies.

What evidence suggests that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is effective for Alcohol Use Disorder?

Research has shown that Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which participants in this trial will receive, effectively treats Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Studies indicate that people who receive CBT achieve better results than those who receive little or no treatment. In one study, participants who underwent CBT were more likely to stop drinking during the treatment. Another study found that CBT improved outcomes by 15% to 26% compared to those who did not receive treatment. This evidence suggests that CBT can help people reduce their alcohol use and maintain recovery. ^{2 3 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals living close to the program site who have been diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and are able to give informed consent. They should not be legally required to attend treatment, must speak English well enough for consent procedures, and cannot have a current drug use diagnosis (except nicotine or marijuana), acute psychosis, or severe cognitive impairment.

Inclusion Criteria

Live within commuting distance of the program site

Provide informed consent

Current diagnosis of AUD (initial screening AUDIT ≥ 8, confirmed with diagnostic interview)

Exclusion Criteria

Current drug use diagnosis other than nicotine or marijuana use disorders

Acute psychosis or severe cognitive impairment (assessed via Psychotic Module of the M.I.N.I and Mini-Mental State ≤ 23)

Lack of sufficient familiarity with the English language to comprehend the recruitment and consent procedures

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive 12 weeks of psychotherapy for Alcohol Use Disorder

12 weeks

Weekly in-person sessions

Follow-up

Participants complete brief assessments bi-weekly via phone for 1-year following treatment and in-person interviews at 3 or 6-month intervals post-treatment

12 months

Bi-weekly phone assessments, in-person interviews at 3 and 6-month intervals

Long-term Follow-up

Participants are monitored at 3 and 6-month intervals for up to 24-54 months post-treatment depending on enrollment date

24-54 months

In-person interviews at 3 and 6-month intervals

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment

Trial Overview The study tests Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment over 12 weeks for AUD recovery. It aims to define types of change in recovery, describe patterns of recovery including frequency of transitions between changes, and examine predictive relationships between cognitive/behavioral/affective variables and changes during recovery.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Treatment Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Empirical supported psychotherapy for alcohol use disorder (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing).

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment is already approved in United States, European Union, Canada for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for:

• Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)
• Chronic Pain Management
• Depression

Approved in European Union as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for:

• Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)
• Chronic Pain Management
• Mental Health Conditions

Approved in Canada as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for:

• Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)
• Chronic Pain Management
• Anxiety Disorders

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of South Florida

Lead Sponsor

Trials

433

Recruited

198,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The cognitive-behavioral model for treating alcoholism focuses on social learning and conditioning, aiming to change behaviors by teaching new skills and avoidance strategies.

Therapies are tailored to individual or group needs, considering the patient's neuropsychological impairment and motivation, which helps in setting specific treatment goals.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Cognitive behavior therapy for the treatment of alcoholism]. Uehlinger, C.[2018]

A pilot study involving 13 participants showed that a therapist-guided internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) program significantly reduced alcohol consumption, with large effect sizes observed at the three-month follow-up.

Participants reported high satisfaction with the program, and improvements were also noted in craving, self-efficacy, depression, and quality of life, suggesting that this online treatment could be a viable option for individuals with alcohol use disorders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

High-intensity therapist-guided internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for alcohol use disorder: a pilot study. Sundström, C., Kraepelien, M., Eék, N., et al.[2018]

A study involving 68 individuals with alcohol use disorders showed that those receiving web-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT4CBT) had significantly higher treatment completion rates and greater increases in the percentage of days abstinent compared to standard treatment alone.

The web-based CBT4CBT program was found to be safe and feasible, with preliminary evidence suggesting it may reduce the costs of alcohol use disorder-related services compared to standard treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized Trial of Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorders: Efficacy as a Virtual Stand-Alone and Treatment Add-On Compared with Standard Outpatient Treatment. Kiluk, BD., Devore, KA., Buck, MB., et al.[2018]

A study involving 55 patients with alcohol use disorder showed that interactive, personalized computer-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was effective, leading to significant reductions in alcohol consumption and increased abstinence rates over a 3-month follow-up.

Both the computer-based CBT and placebo groups improved in their drinking outcomes, but the CBT group showed greater engagement in Alcoholics Anonymous and better self-efficacy regarding alcohol use, suggesting that computer-based CBT could be a valuable tool in treating AUD.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for alcohol use disorder: a pilot randomised control trial. Farren, CK., Milnes, J., Lambe, K., et al.[2019]

A review of ten studies on cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for alcohol dependence found little evidence supporting the idea that CBT works by enhancing coping skills.

The effectiveness of CBT in treating alcohol dependence remains unclear, suggesting that either previous studies had methodological issues or that the underlying assumptions of CBT may need to be reevaluated.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cognitive-behavioral treatment for alcohol dependence: a review of evidence for its hypothesized mechanisms of action. Morgenstern, J., Longabaugh, R.[2019]

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) significantly reduces relapse rates in patients with alcohol dependence compared to standard treatment as usual (TAU), based on a study of 226 newly diagnosed patients.

Patients receiving CBT showed better outcomes within 6 months to 1 year, suggesting that CBT should be used as an important addition to traditional treatment methods for alcohol dependence.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cognitive behavior therapy as an adjuvant in management of alcohol dependence syndrome. Srivastava, K., Prakash, J., Bhat, PS., et al.[2022]

A study involving 63 participants found that adding computer-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT4CBT) to standard treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) was more effective and cost-effective than standard treatment alone, costing about $35.08 for each additional day of reduced drinking.

While CBT4CBT+monitoring was slightly less costly and more effective than standard treatment, overall treatment costs did not significantly differ across conditions, indicating that further research is needed to fully understand the cost-benefit of computer-delivered CBT for AUD.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pilot economic evaluation of computerized cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol use disorder as an addition and alternative to traditional therapy. Kacmarek, CN., Yates, BT., Nich, C., et al.[2023]

A four-year replication study of a medical behavioral treatment for alcoholism showed that patients receiving uniform treatment had a high probability of achieving and maintaining sobriety over time.

The study identified specific variables that may help predict which patients are more likely to succeed in treatment, emphasizing the importance of accurate diagnosis and referral in managing alcoholism effectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Replicable abstinence rates in an alcoholism treatment program. Neubuerger, OW., Miller, SI., Schmitz, RE., et al.[2016]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9948631/

Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Alcohol and ... Data on CBT effects for use outcomes by primary substance provide a mixed picture, and at present, most trials have targeted alcohol use ...

2. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2824103

A Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program for Adults ... Mean (SD) rates of PDA from baseline to 6-month follow-up were 49.3% (27.8%) to 69.6% (34.4%) for TAU; 53.7% (29.8%) to 70.2% (35.1%) for CBT; ...

3. addictions.psych.ucla.edu addictions.psych.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/160/2020/01/JCCP-A-meta-analysis-of-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-for-alcohol-or-other-drug-use-disorders-Treatment-efficacy-by-contrast-condition.pdf

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology CBT is effective for these conditions with outcomes roughly 15% to 26% better than average outcomes in untreated, or minimally treated, controls.

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6856400/

A Meta-Analysis of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for ... The current meta-analysis shows that CBT is more effective than a no treatment, minimal treatment, or non-specific control. Consistent with findings on other ...

5. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1486338/full

The effects of cognitive behavioral therapy-based digital ... Results: The primary outcome, abstinence rate during weeks 9–12, was significantly higher in the digital intervention group (73.3%) compared to ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5714654/

Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Alcohol and Drug ... Multiple meta analyses and reviews over the past 30 years have concluded that CBT is an effective treatment across a range of substance use disorders (Carroll & ...

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871625002091

Cognitive-behavioral interventions for co-occurring ... The current meta-analysis provides an overview of cognitive-behaviorally-based interventions (CBI) that treat co-occurring alcohol and other drug use (AOD)

8. medicine.yale.edu medicine.yale.edu/news-article/a-digital-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-program-for-adults-with-alcohol-use-disorder/

Yale Study: Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program ... Study results revealed the digital program plus brief monitoring outperformed clinician-delivered CBT in terms of increasing alcohol abstinence, ...