Using a smartphone application as an adjunct to counselling in substance misuse treatment

ISRCTN	ISRCTN15853981
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN15853981
Secondary identifying numbers	N/A

Submission date: 09/02/2015
Registration date: 13/02/2015
Last edited: 14/08/2020

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
The Application to Improve Motivation (AiM) has been developed to help users improve their motivation to make and maintain a desired health behaviour change, such as drinking, smoking and exercise. This study aims to explore the utility and potential impact of this smartphone application used alongside routine clinical practice for people being treated for substance misuse.

Who can participate?
Adults receiving counselling for substance misuse

What does the study involve?
AiM will be offered to all clients who meet the inclusion criteria in a charity substance misuse service and will be evaluated as an addition to weekly counselling. The evaluation will run for 4 weeks; at the end of which the consenting client and counsellor will each be asked to complete a one-page questionnaire. AiM will also collect anonymous use data on self-reported health behaviours and levels of motivation. The data will then be analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of AiM as an adjunct to weekly counselling for substance misuse.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Benefits and risks not provided at time of registration.

Where is the study run from?
Addiction Care and Support Agency (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
From March 2015 to June 2015

Who is funding the study?
Investigator initiated and funded

Who is the main contact?
Mr Harvey Wells

Contact information

Mr Harvey Wells
Public

Sir Frank Lampl Buildling
School of Nursing
Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education
St George's, University of London and Kingston University
Sir Frank Lampl Building, Kingston Hill Campus
Kingston Upon Thames
KT2 7LB
United Kingdom

ORCID ID	0000-0001-7230-4992

Mr Harvey Wells
Scientific

Study information

Study design	Interventional case series
Primary study design	Interventional
Secondary study design	Non randomised study
Study setting(s)	Other
Study type	Quality of life
Participant information sheet	Not available in web format; please use contact details below to request a participant information sheet.
Scientific title	Case series evaluation of a smartphone application on levels of motivation to change substance misuse behaviour in a clinical population already engaged in treatment
Study objectives	Participants motivation to change will increase following the use of the smartphone application
Ethics approval(s)	Faculty of Health, Social Care, and Education, Kingston University and St George's, University of London (UK), 20/10/2014
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Substance misuse (alcohol or ilicit drugs)
Intervention	Smartphone application designed to increase motivation to change health-related behaviours
Intervention type	Behavioural
Primary outcome measure	Motivation: self-reported via smartphone application and evaluation questionnaire; clinical observations of participant's counsellor; measured at the beginning of the study, then weekly for 4 weeks
Secondary outcome measures	Substance misuse behaviour: self reported via smartphone application and evaluation questionnaire; measured at the beginning of the study, then weekly for 4 weeks.
Overall study start date	02/03/2015
Completion date	01/06/2015

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Lower age limit	18 Years
Upper age limit	64 Years
Sex	Both
Target number of participants	20
Key inclusion criteria	1. Between 18-64 years old 2. In treatment for individual counselling or group counselling 3. Have agreement from their counsellor to use the application as an adjunct to therapy sessions 4. Have a minimum of 4 weeks counselling remaining 5. Have either an Android smartphone (2.3.3 or later) or an IPhone (iOs 7 or later) with access to mobile data or Wi-Fi
Key exclusion criteria	1. Age younger than 18 or older than 65 2. No longer in treatment for substance misuse 3. Counsellor does not agree to be included in the trial 4. Participant has less then 4 weeks of counselling remaining 5. Does not have access to a smartphone with ability to run the application
Date of first enrolment	02/03/2015
Date of final enrolment	04/05/2015

Locations

Countries of recruitment

England
United Kingdom

Study participating centres

Addiction Care and Support Agency

96 Ditton Road
Surbiton
KT6 6RH
United Kingdom

Addiction Care and Support Agency

233 Lower Mortlake Road
Richmond
TW9 2LL
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

Kingston University and St George's, University of London
University/education

Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education
Sir Frank Lampl Building
Kingston Hill Campus
Kingston Upon Thames
KT2 7LB
England
United Kingdom

Website	www.healthcare.ac.uk
"ROR"	https://ror.org/040f08y74

Funders

Funder type

Other

Investigator initiated and funded

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	Yes
IPD sharing plan summary	Available on request
Publication and dissemination plan	1. We aim to complete the data collection by May 2015. 2. We will analyse and write up over June and July 2015. 3. We aim to publish the evaluation of the smartphone app, including the impact on motivation and substance misuse behaviour. 4. We plan to submit these findings to a peer-reviewed journal in the area of substance misuse, such as the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. We would hope this to be published in 2016.
IPD sharing plan

Editorial Notes

14/08/2020: No publications found.
09/08/2017: No publications found in PubMed, verifying study status with principal investigator.