Using Implementation Intentions to Reduce Cannabis Use

NCT03845842 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2018 5701
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 311
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The study will recruit frequent users of cannabis (defined at least fortnightly use) and randomize them either to: (1) form implementation intentions by linking situations in which they are tempted to use cannabis with strategies to avoid using cannabis in those situations by using a volitional help sheet, or (2) to consider the situations in which they are tempted to use cannabis alongside possible strategies to avoid using it as presented in the volitional help sheet but not to form implementation intentions. The effects on self-reported cannabis use will be assessed 1 month post-intervention. Predictors of cannabis reduction will also be examined.

Conditions

Cannabis Use

Keywords

Cannabis; Risk reduction

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Cannabis use reduction (amount)

  Self-reported cannabis use -amount of cannabis (weight)

  1 month

• Cannabis use reduction (frequency)

  Self-reported cannabis use - frequency of use (days per week)

  1 month

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Self reported habit as measured by the automaticity subscale of the Self-Report Habit Index.

  1 month

• Self reported action control as measured by the scale developed by Sniehotta et al (2011)

  1 month

• Self reported craving as measured by items from the mood and physical symptoms scale (MPSS)

  1 month

Study Arms (2)

Control (volitional help sheet)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants read a brief statement designed to encourage them to reduce their cannabis use ("We want you to plan to reduce your cannabis use"). Participants are presented with a table with two columns and twenty rows. Twenty 'high risk' situations (temptations) are presented in the left hand column and 20 appropriate responses (processes of change) are presented in the right hand column (see Armitage, 2008). Participants are told that identifying situations in which they were tempted to use cannabis and identifying ways to overcome those temptations had been shown to help people change their behaviour and are asked to tick critical situations/appropriate responses that might be useful to them.

Behavioral: Volitional help sheet

Intervention (volitional help sheet)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants read a brief statement designed to encourage them to reduce their cannabis use ("We want you to plan to reduce your cannabis use"). Participants are presented with a table with two columns and twenty rows. Twenty 'high risk' situations (temptations) are presented in the left hand column and 20 appropriate responses (processes of change) are presented in the right hand column (see Armitage, 2008). Participants are told that identifying situations in which they were tempted to use cannabis and identifying ways to overcome those temptations had been shown to help people change their behaviour. Implementation intentions are formed by linking critical situations with appropriate responses by choosing an appropriate response from a drop down menu for each critical situation.

Behavioral: Volitional help sheet

Interventions

Volitional help sheet BEHAVIORAL

Participants are asked to choose from a list of strategies for avoiding cannabis use.

Control (volitional help sheet); Intervention (volitional help sheet)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Frequent cannabis user (at least fortnightly)

You may not qualify if:

• Younger than 18 years of age
• Infrequent / no cannabis use (less than fortnightly)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Manchester: lead

Study Sites (1)

The University of Manchester

Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Sniehotta FF, Nagy G, Scholz U, Schwarzer R. The role of action control in implementing intentions during the first weeks of behaviour change. Br J Soc Psychol. 2006 Mar;45(Pt 1):87-106. doi: 10.1348/014466605X62460.

  PMID: 16573874 BACKGROUND

• Gardner B, Abraham C, Lally P, de Bruijn GJ. Towards parsimony in habit measurement: testing the convergent and predictive validity of an automaticity subscale of the Self-Report Habit Index. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2012 Aug 30;9:102. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-9-102.

  PMID: 22935297 BACKGROUND

• West R, Hajek P. Evaluation of the mood and physical symptoms scale (MPSS) to assess cigarette withdrawal. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2004 Dec;177(1-2):195-9. doi: 10.1007/s00213-004-1923-6. Epub 2004 Jun 4.

  PMID: 15179542 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Marijuana Abuse; Risk Reduction Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Substance-Related Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Mental Disorders; Behavior

Study Officials

• Lynsey Gregg, PhD

  The University of Manchester

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 20, 2018
• First Posted: February 19, 2019
• Study Start: February 14, 2019
• Primary Completion: November 30, 2020
• Study Completion: November 30, 2020
• Last Updated: November 8, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GB (1)