Family Engagement Strategies for Drug Addiction

Overseen By Kat Nameth, MS

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Stanford University

Disqualifiers: Severe cognitive impairment, Active psychosis, Developmental disabilities, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores strategies to help family members stay engaged while supporting a loved one undergoing treatment for drug addiction. Participants will test various engagement strategies to help researchers determine which ones best keep family members involved. The trial targets family members who live with and frequently interact with someone who recently began treatment for substance use.

As an unphased trial, it provides a unique opportunity to contribute to research that could enhance support systems for families dealing with addiction.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that these engagement strategies are safe for family members?

Research has shown that involving family members in the treatment of substance use disorders is generally safe and well-received. These strategies aim to include family in the recovery process. For instance, studies have found that when parents participate in health programs, outcomes improve and recovery receives more support.

The main goal of these strategies is to create a supportive environment without introducing risks. Reports indicate that family involvement can reduce negative influences at home, which might otherwise hinder treatment success.

No evidence suggests significant negative effects from these strategies. Instead, they encourage positive family involvement, which helps protect against substance misuse. By focusing on engagement and support, these strategies are considered safe for families dealing with substance use recovery. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Family Engagement Strategies for Drug Addiction trial because it explores innovative ways to involve families in addiction treatment. Unlike traditional methods that often focus solely on the individual, these strategies aim to harness the supportive power of families to improve recovery outcomes. By testing multiple engagement strategies, the trial hopes to identify which approaches most effectively enhance motivation and support for individuals battling addiction. This could lead to more personalized and effective treatment plans that integrate family dynamics, potentially transforming the way drug addiction is treated.

What evidence suggests that this trial's engagement strategies could be effective for increasing family member engagement in CRAFT?

This trial will evaluate various family engagement strategies for drug addiction. Studies have shown that involving family members in treatment greatly improves outcomes for people with substance use disorders. Research indicates that strategies focusing on regular and positive communication with family can enhance how well people engage with and stick to their treatment. Evidence suggests that family-based approaches can reduce prescription drug misuse by up to 58.1% and cannabis use by 39%. Additionally, studies reveal that involving a significant other in treatment is more effective in reducing substance use than approaches that focus only on the individual. These findings support using family involvement to boost participation and success in substance use disorder treatments. Participants in this trial will be assigned to different arms testing combinations of these engagement strategies. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Karen Osilla, PhD

Principal Investigator

Stanford University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults (18+) who live with and support a loved one who started substance use treatment in the past 3 months. Participants must have frequent contact with their loved one, not be using illicit drugs themselves, and not fear harm from their loved one.

Inclusion Criteria

I am 18 years old or older.

I am an adult supporting a loved one who started SUD treatment in the last 3 months.

I am currently living with my loved one.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Iterative Online Process

Family members and clinic staff participate in an online process to identify potential family engagement strategies

2 months

Online participation

Optimization Trial

Testing of identified engagement strategies using a fractional factorial trial

6 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for the effectiveness of engagement strategies after the trial

2 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Engagement Strategy 1
• Engagement Strategy 2
• Engagement Strategy 3
• Engagement Strategy 4
• Placebo

Trial Overview

The study tests different ways to engage family members in a CRAFT program to help them support someone in early addiction treatment. Participants will try out and rate several engagement strategies online to find which work best.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Aim 2: Arm 1 Active Control 4 Interventions

All 4 Engagement Strategies

Group II: Aim 2: Arm 2 Active Control 3 Interventions

Strategies 1-3

Group III: Aim 2: Arm 3 Active Control 2 Interventions

Strategies 1-2

Group IV: Aim 2: Arm 13 Active Control 1 Intervention

Strategy 3

Group V: Aim 2: Arm 4 Active Control 3 Interventions

Strategies 2-4

Group VI: Aim 2: Arm 5 Active Control 2 Interventions

Strategies 3-4

Group VII: Aim 2: Arm 6 Active Control 2 Interventions

Strategies 1 \& 3

Group VIII: Aim 2: Arm 7 Active Control 2 Interventions

Strategies 2 \& 4

Group IX: Aim 2: Arm 8 Active Control 3 Interventions

Strategies 1, 2 \& 4

Group X: Aim 2: Arm 9 Active Control 2 Interventions

Strategies 2-3

Group XI: Aim 2: Arm 10 Active Control 3 Interventions

Strategies 1, 3 \& 4

Group XII: Aim 2: Arm 11 Active Control 1 Intervention

Strategy 1

Group XIII: Aim 2: Arm 12 Active Control 1 Intervention

Strategy 2

Group XIV: Aim 2: Arm 15 Active Control 2 Interventions

Strategy 1 \& 4

Group XV: Aim 2: Arm 14 Active Control 1 Intervention

Strategy 4

Group XVI: Aim 2: Arm 16 Placebo Group 1 Intervention

No Strategies

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Stanford University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,527

Recruited

17,430,000+

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Collaborator

Trials

2,658

Recruited

3,409,000+

RAND

Collaborator

Trials

145

Recruited

617,000+

Northern California Institute of Research and Education

Collaborator

Trials

30

Recruited

10,400+

Family Health Centers of San Diego

Collaborator

Trials

9

Recruited

15,000+

Citations

1.

expandinglearning.org

expandinglearning.org/expandingminds/article/evidence-based-strategies-supporting-and-enhancing-family-engagement

Evidence-Based Strategies for Supporting and Enhancing ...

Frequent and positive communication with family members is critical to effective family engagement. Have adequate and welcoming space to engage families.

2.

helpandhopewv.org

helpandhopewv.org/docs/pep22-06-01-005.pdf

An Essential Component of an Effective and Equitable ...

1 This guide reviews research on community engagement in substance use prevention, outlining common community engagement activities and outcomes. It is one ...

3.

ed.gov

ed.gov/sites/ed/files/2023/12/SEAC_FamilyEngagementTool.pdf

Planning Tool for Family Engagement

Family engagement can be a key strategy to reduce chronic absenteeism. When families are meaningfully and continuously engaged, they can.

4.

doe.mass.edu

doe.mass.edu/sfs/family-engagement-framework.pdf

family-engagement-framework.pdf

These interactions help recognize common goals, align resources, and share data for continuous improvement and effective partnerships. These partnerships ...

5.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8380649/

Family Involvement in Treatment and Recovery for Substance ...

This article presents a narrative review and conceptual framework for research on family involvement across the continuum of substance use disorder (SUD) ...

6.

ed.gov

ed.gov/teaching-and-administration/lead-and-manage-my-school/state-support-network/ssn-resources/strategies-for-equitable-family-engagement

Strategies for Equitable Family Engagement

This resource outlines guidance and provides real-world examples across five major categories of evidence-based, equitable family engagement strategies.

7.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6727292/

Engaging Parents to Prevent Adolescent Substance Use - PMC

Parental monitoring is one of the most important protective factors contributing to childhood outcomes and has been linked to lower rates of substance use and ...

8.

schoolmentalhealth.org

schoolmentalhealth.org/media/som/microsites/ncsmh/documents/archives/asmh-2019/presentations-2019/CS-10.06.-Safety-and-Support-Begin-at-Home.pdf

Evidence-Based Strategies for Family Engagement

Engaging parents in the treatment process and reducing the toxicity of a negative family environment can contribute to better treatment engagement, retention, ...

9.

cdc.gov

cdc.gov/healthy-schools/media/pdfs/parent_engagement_strategies.pdf

Strategies for Involving Parents in School Health

51. Involving parent members as school volunteers can enrich health and physical education classes, improve the delivery of health services, and help create ...

10.

pta.org

pta.org/home/run-your-pta/family-school-partnerships

National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

PTA's National Standards for Family-School Partnerships set the bar for how schools and parent organizations work together to support student success.