Computer-Mediated Versus Face-to-Face Motivational-Type Interviews

NCT06945471 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 219115-25R24DA029989-05
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 150
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study looks at whether in-person and computer-based motivational type interviews lead to the same kind of language and behavior change in young adults when they talk about their marijuana use. Researchers compared how much participants talked about wanting to change their level of marijuana use (change talk) or maintain their level of marijuana use (sustain talk) during each type of interview. Researchers investigated if change talk and sustain talk predicted who continued to use or not use marijuana. All participants completed:

• A survey assessing their frequency of marijuana use.
• A brief motivational type interview, either a face-to-face-motivational type interview or computer-mediated motivational type interview.
• A two-month follow-up survey, again assessing their level of marijuana use.

Conditions

Marijuana Use

Keywords

Motivational interviews; computer-mediated; commitment language; change talk; marijuana use; randomized study; young adults

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Frequency of marijuana use at two-month follow-up

  During the past two months, how many times (if any) have you smoked or consumed marijuana?

  2-month-follow-up

Study Arms (2)

Face-to-face motivational type (FTF MTIs) interviews

EXPERIMENTAL

The interviews conducted in this study were guided by 4 of the 5 major principles of MI. Specifically, the interviews (1) were nonjudgmental, (2) were empathic, (3) respected participants' autonomy, and (4) helped participants explore their ambivalence toward behavior change. However, unlike standard motivational interviews, the interviews in this study did not subtly guide participants toward reducing marijuana use. The interviews were not intended as a clinical intervention. The decision to omit the direction-oriented component of MI was guided by a single consideration: the national trend toward the legalization of recreational marijuana use. FTF MTIs were guided by a 4-page script that incorporated the main principles of MI, including reflective listening, expression of empathy, and a nonjudgmental conversational style. The script included an equal number of open-ended questions exploring the benefits and costs of using marijuana. FTF MTIs were conducted in a research office.

Behavioral: 1) Face-to-face, and 2) Computer-mediated motivational type interviews

Computer-mediated motivational type interviews (CM-MTIs)

EXPERIMENTAL

Computer-mediated interviews were conducted using the identical 4-page script that guided the FTF MTIs. Computer-mediated MTIs were completed via computer, with the interviewer and participant located in adjacent rooms within the same research suite used for the FTF MTIs. However, the interviewer and interviewee never met in person. Upon arrival, a research assistant greeted participants, administered Time 1 assessments, and provided instructions for using the computer's instant messaging software to communicate during the motivational-type interview. LAN Instant Messenger software (version 1.2.35, Qualia Digital Solutions) was used to conduct computer-mediated interviews and computer-mediated MTIs were saved as text files.

Behavioral: 1) Face-to-face, and 2) Computer-mediated motivational type interviews

Interventions

1) Face-to-face, and 2) Computer-mediated motivational type interviews BEHAVIORAL

Computer-mediated motivational type interviews (CM-MTIs); Face-to-face motivational type (FTF MTIs) interviews

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 29 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• A brief eligibility questionnaire assessed each respondent's age, previous marijuana use, and ambivalence about their marijuana use during the year preceding the study. Sample ambivalence items included: "During the past year I've had mixed emotions about my level of marijuana use or nonuse," and "How much have you thought about changing your marijuana use or nonuse during the past year?" Responses options ranged from 0 ("not at all") to 5 ("medium amount") to 10 ("a lot"). Respondents who were 18-29 years of age and reported at least a "medium amount" of ambivalence in response to 2 or more ambivalence questions were eligible to participate in the study. Three types of adults were recruited: non-marijuana users, occasional marijuana users, and frequent marijuana users. Non-marijuana users were defined as individuals who reported no history of marijuana use in their lifetime. Occasional marijuana users were defined as individuals who used marijuana 1-5 times during the 2 months preceding the study but fewer than 24 times during the year preceding the study. Frequent marijuana users were defined as individuals who used marijuana more than 7 times during the 2 months preceding the study and more than 24 times during the year preceding the study.

You may not qualify if:

• We excluded participants who did not meet the above criteria.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Texas, El Paso: lead
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, Texas, 79968, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Llanes KD, Amastae J, Amrhein PC, Lisha N, Arteaga K, Lopez E, Moran RA, Cohn LD. Impact of Computer-Mediated Versus Face-to-Face Motivational-Type Interviews on Participants' Language and Subsequent Cannabis Use: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2025 Apr 25;27:e59085. doi: 10.2196/59085.

  PMID: 40279644 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Marijuana Use

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior; Substance-Related Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Lawrence D. Cohn, PhD

  University of Texas, El Paso

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Jon Amastae, PhD

  University of Texas, El Paso

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: We masked a participant's experimental condition (face-to-face motivational type interviews and computer-mediated motivational type interviews) when coding each interview, and thus minimized bias when evaluating the presence of commitment language within each interview transcript.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: 1) Face-to-face motivational type interviews or 2) Computer-mediated motivational type interviews.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 18, 2025
• First Posted: April 25, 2025
• Study Start: March 1, 2014
• Primary Completion: December 15, 2015
• Study Completion: September 6, 2019
• Last Updated: April 25, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Locations

US (1)