Parent SMART Intervention for Adolescent Substance Use Disorders

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Sara J Becker, Ph.D.

Age: < 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Brown University

Disqualifiers: Non-guardian, No smartphone, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 10

220 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to help parents of adolescents in residential treatment for substance use by testing a program called Parent SMART. The program includes online parenting lessons, telehealth coaching, and a networking forum for parents. The researchers aim to determine if increased parental involvement can reduce teens' substance use and risky behaviors. Teens who have recently used substances and are returning to live with their primary guardian after treatment, along with their English or Spanish-speaking guardians, might be a good fit for this trial. As an unphased trial, this study offers families a unique opportunity to actively participate in innovative approaches to support their teens' recovery.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications. It focuses on a parenting intervention for adolescents in substance use treatment.

What prior data suggests that the Parent SMART intervention is safe for adolescents?

Research has shown that the Parent SMART program, a technology-based parenting support, has the potential to assist teens in substance use treatment. An initial study found that teens whose parents used Parent SMART experienced fewer days of drinking and fewer school issues, suggesting the program's short-term benefits.

Parent SMART includes a computer program called Parenting Wisely, online coaching sessions, and a forum for parents to connect. Reports have not indicated any problems or safety issues with this program. It aims to help parents improve communication and supervision, which are key to reducing the chance of relapse in teens. Since the program does not involve medication or medical procedures, it is considered safe for parents and teens in the study. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Parent SMART intervention because it offers a fresh approach to tackling adolescent substance use disorders through technology-assisted parenting. Unlike traditional residential treatments, Parent SMART combines the Parenting Wisely computer program, telehealth coaching, and an app-based networking forum, empowering parents with more flexible and accessible support. This method stands out by integrating modern technology to enhance parenting techniques, potentially leading to more sustainable behavior changes in teens.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for adolescent substance use disorders?

Research shows that involving parents in their teen's substance use treatment can reduce the chance of relapse. Studies have found that teens perform better in residential substance use programs when parents participate. In this trial, the Parent SMART program, one of the treatment arms, offers online parenting skills training, telehealth coaching, and a support network, facilitating parental involvement. Early results suggest that improved parental skills in monitoring and communication help reduce substance use and related issues in teens. By focusing on these skills, Parent SMART aims to support teens in maintaining their progress after treatment. ^{1 5 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Sara J Becker, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Brown University and Northwestern University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for parents or legal guardians fluent in English or Spanish, with a smartphone and internet access. They must be willing to participate in interviews and have an adolescent aged 12-18 who used substances within the last 90 days and will live with them after residential treatment.

Inclusion Criteria

I am the parent or guardian of a teen aged 12-18.

I am in a residential treatment for my substance use issues.

be discharged to live with primary guardian

Exclusion Criteria

You have not used alcohol or drugs in the last three months.

will not be living with adolescent after adolescent's discharge from residential

I am not the legal guardian of a child aged 12-18.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Residential Treatment

Adolescents receive residential substance use treatment as usual

6-45 days

Parent SMART Intervention

Parents receive the Parent SMART intervention, including Parenting Wisely program, telehealth coaching sessions, and access to a networking forum

6 weeks

4 telehealth sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

24 weeks

Multi-method assessments at 6, 12, and 24 weeks post-discharge

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Parent SMART
• Treatment as Usual

Trial Overview The study tests Parent SMART, a tech-assisted parenting program aimed at reducing substance misuse among adolescents post-residential treatment. It includes computer-based training, telehealth coaching sessions, and a parent forum compared to standard treatment.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Parent SMART Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Parent SMART is a technology-assisted parenting intervention combining an off-the-shelf computer program (Parenting Wisely), up to four telehealth coaching sessions, and access to an app-based networking forum.

Group II: Treatment as Usual Active Control 1 Intervention

The active comparator is defined as residential treatment services as usual.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Brown University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

480

Recruited

724,000+

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Collaborator

Trials

2,658

Recruited

3,409,000+

Northwestern University

Collaborator

Trials

1,674

Recruited

989,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The Parent SMART intervention, which combines an online parenting program with coaching and networking, was found to be acceptable and feasible for engaging parents of adolescents in residential treatment for substance-related issues.

Preliminary results suggest that adolescents in short-term residential care whose parents participated in Parent SMART had fewer days of alcohol use and fewer school problems compared to those whose parents only received traditional treatment, indicating potential effectiveness of the intervention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent SMART (Substance Misuse in Adolescents in Residential Treatment): Pilot randomized trial of a technology-assisted parenting intervention. Becker, SJ., Helseth, SA., Janssen, T., et al.[2022]

The study is testing a technology-assisted intervention called Parenting Wisely+ (PW+) for parents of adolescents in residential substance use disorder treatment, aiming to improve post-discharge outcomes for these adolescents.

In a randomized pilot trial with 60 parents, the researchers will assess the feasibility and acceptability of PW+, as well as its impact on adolescent behaviors like substance use and truancy, potentially enhancing parental engagement and parenting practices that influence recovery.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Technology-assisted intervention for parents of adolescents in residential substance use treatment: protocol of an open trial and pilot randomized trial. Becker, SJ., Hernandez, L., Spirito, A., et al.[2023]

The Parent SMART intervention, which includes technology-assisted resources and telehealth coaching, aims to improve parenting skills and reduce adolescent substance use in families of adolescents undergoing residential treatment, with a total of 220 parent-adolescent dyads participating in the study.

This fully-powered randomized controlled trial will assess the effectiveness of Parent SMART compared to traditional treatment, with follow-up assessments at 6, 12, and 24 weeks post-discharge to evaluate its impact on parenting practices and adolescent behaviors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent SMART (Substance Misuse in Adolescents in Residential Treatment): Protocol of a Randomized Effectiveness Trial of a Technology-Assisted Parenting Intervention. Becker, SJ., Helseth, SA., Kelly, LM., et al.[2022]

The Parent SMART intervention, which engages parents of adolescents in residential substance use treatment, showed preliminary effectiveness in improving parenting processes such as parental monitoring and communication during the 24 weeks post-discharge, based on a secondary analysis of a previous pilot study with 61 parent-adolescent dyads.

While participant-report questionnaires did not show significant changes, behavioral interaction tasks indicated that Parent SMART led to improvements in parenting scores, suggesting that this technology-assisted approach could be beneficial in supporting families during the transition period after treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent Smart: Effects of a Technology-Assisted Intervention for Parents of Adolescents in Residential Substance Use Treatment on Parental Monitoring and Communication. Becker, SJ., Helseth, SA., Janssen, T., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 153 adolescents with cannabis use disorders, clinic- and home-based contingency management (CM) significantly increased abstinence rates compared to individual motivational enhancement therapy/cognitive-behavioral therapy (MET/CBT).

The addition of a comprehensive parent training curriculum did not provide any additional benefits in reducing marijuana use or improving youth externalizing problems, suggesting that CM alone is effective without the need for extensive parent involvement.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinic- and home-based contingency management plus parent training for adolescent cannabis use disorders. Stanger, C., Ryan, SR., Scherer, EA., et al.[2019]

The study focuses on creating a Consumer Guide to help parents choose effective treatment programs for adolescent substance abuse, addressing the lack of resources available for informed decision-making.

The guide is based on evaluating the quality of treatment programs by the number and frequency of evidence-based practices (EBPs) they implement, which are crucial for their effectiveness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessing Adolescent Substance Abuse Programs with Updated Quality Indicators: The Development of a Consumer Guide for Adolescent Treatment. Cacciola, JS., Meyers, K., Bates, SE., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35225821/

Parent SMART (Substance Misuse in Adolescents ... - PubMed This protocol paper describes a fully-powered randomized controlled pragmatic effectiveness trial of Parent SMART as an adjunct to residential TAU.

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0740547221001835

Parent SMART (Substance Misuse in Adolescents ... Adolescents in residential level of care for substance-related problems have high risk of relapse following discharge. Parent engagement lowers relapse risk ...

3. jsatjournal.com jsatjournal.com/article/S0740-5472(21)00183-5/abstract

Pilot randomized trial of a technology-assisted parenting ... Adolescents in residential level of care for substance-related problems have high risk of relapse following discharge. Parent engagement lowers relapse risk ...

4. pdfs.semanticscholar.org pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5c68/950b878260dddfa5efd8394a73bc3f20ea26.pdf

Parent SMART (Substance Misuse in Adolescents in ... Background: Adolescents in residential substance use treatment are at extremely high risk for relapse following discharge to the community.

5. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-substance-related-disorders-1-2022-46102

Parent SMART Intervention for Adolescent Substance Use ... This study tests the effectiveness of a technology-assisted parenting intervention called Parent SMART (Substance Misuse among Adolescents in Residential ...

6. researchprotocols.org researchprotocols.org/2022/2/e35934/

Parent SMART (Substance Misuse in Adolescents ... Background: Adolescents in residential substance use treatment are at extremely high risk for relapse following discharge to the community.

7. centerwatch.com centerwatch.com/clinical-trials/listings/NCT05169385/parent-smart-substance-misuse-in-adolescents-in-residential-treatment?state=IA&city=Sioux

Parent SMART (Substance Misuse in Adolescents ... Adolescents in residential substance use treatment have serious substance-related problems and poor outcomes following discharge: follow-up ...

8. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/357628805_Parent_SMART_Substance_Misuse_in_Adolescents_in_Residential_Treatment_Protocol_of_a_Randomized_Effectiveness_Trial_of_a_Technology-assisted_Parenting_Intervention_Preprint

(PDF) Parent SMART (Substance Misuse in Adolescents ... Adolescents in residential level of care for substance-related problems have high risk of relapse following discharge. Parent engagement lowers relapse risk, ...