A smartphone-based support system coupled with a bluetooth breathalyzer in the treatment of alcohol dependence: A 12-week randomized controlled trial.
Internet Interv
; 33: 100639, 2023 Sep.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37435041
ABSTRACT
Background:
Our prior open trial showed the feasibility of a smartphone-based support system coupled with a Bluetooth breathalyzer (SoberDiary) in assisting recovery for patients with alcohol dependence (AD). In this 24-week follow-up study, we further explored the efficacy of supplementing SoberDiary to treatment as usual (TAU) over 12 weeks of intervention and whether the efficacy persisted in the post-intervention 12 weeks.Methods:
51 patients who met the DSM-IV criteria of AD were randomly assigned to the technological intervention group (TI group, receiving technology intervention of SoberDiary plus TAU, n = 25) or those receiving only TAU (TAU group, n = 26). After 12 weeks of intervention (Phase I), all participants were followed for another post-intervention 12 weeks (Phase II). We collected the drinking variables and psychological assessment data every 4 weeks (i.e., weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24). In addition, the cumulative abstinence days and retention rates were recorded. We used mixed-model analysis to compare the difference in outcomes between groups.Results:
In Phase I or Phase II, we did not find differences in drinking variables, alcohol craving, depression, or anxiety severity between the two groups. However, the TI group showed greater self-efficacy for drinking refusal in Phase II than the TAU group.Conclusions:
Although our system (SoberDiary) did not demonstrate benefits in drinking or emotional outcomes, we found the system holds promise to enhance self-efficacy on drinking refusal. Whether the benefit in promoting self-efficacy persists longer than 24 weeks requires further investigation.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Language:
En
Journal:
Internet Interv
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Taiwan
Publication country:
HOLANDA
/
HOLLAND
/
NETHERLANDS
/
NL
/
PAISES BAJOS
/
THE NETHERLANDS