Bayesian restricted spatial regression for examining session features and patient outcomes in open-enrollment group therapy studies.

Group-based interventions have been developed for treating patients across a range of health conditions. Enrollment into such groups often occurs on an open (or rolling) basis. Conditional autoregression modeling of random session effects has been proposed to account for the expected correlation in session effects associated with the overlap in patient participation session to session. However, when the analytic objective is to examine the relationship between a fixed-effect session feature and a patient outcome using conditional autoregression, confounding might arise if the fixed session feature of interest and the random session effects vary across sessions in similar ways, resulting in bias and inflated standard errors of a fixed-effect session feature of interest. Motivated by the goal of examining the relationships between outcomes and the session features of leader and session module theme, we applied restricted spatial regression to the analysis of patient outcomes collected from 132 participants in an open-enrollment group for treating depression among patients of a residential alcohol and other drug treatment program, adapting the approach to the multilevel data structure of open-enrollment group data. As compared with standard conditional autoregression, the restricted regression approach resulted in more precise estimates of regression coefficients of the module theme and leader predictor variables. The restricted regression approach provides an important analytic tool for group therapy researchers who are investigating the relationship between key components of open-enrollment group therapy interventions and patient outcomes.

A pilot study comparing in-person and web-based motivational interviewing among adults with a first-time DUI offense.

BACKGROUND: Driving under the influence (DUI) is a significant problem, and there is a pressing need to develop interventions that reduce future risk. METHODS: We pilot-tested the acceptance and efficacy of web-motivational interviewing (MI) and in-person MI interventions among a diverse sample of individuals with a first-time DUI offense. Participants (N = 159) were 65 percent male, 40 percent Hispanic, and an average age of 30 (SD = 9.8). They were enrolled at one of three participating 3-month DUI programs in Los Angeles County and randomized to usual care (UC)-only (36-h program), in-person MI plus UC, or a web-based intervention using MI (web-MI) plus UC. Participants were assessed at intake and program completion. We examined intervention acceptance and preliminary efficacy of the interventions on alcohol consumption, DUI, and alcohol-related consequences. RESULTS: Web-MI and in-person MI participants rated the quality of and satisfaction with their sessions significantly higher than participants in the UC-only condition. However, there were no significant group differences between the MI conditions and the UC-only condition in alcohol consumption, DUI, and alcohol-related consequences. Further, 67 percent of our sample met criteria for alcohol dependence, and the majority of participants in all three study conditions continued to report alcohol-related consequences at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Participants receiving MI plus UC and UC-only had similar improvements, and a large proportion had symptoms of alcohol dependence. Receiving a DUI and having to deal with the numerous consequences related to this type of event may be significant enough to reduce short-term behaviors, but future research should explore whether more intensive interventions are needed to sustain long-term changes.

Does group cognitive-behavioral therapy module type moderate depression symptom changes in substance abuse treatment clients?

Little is known about the effect of group therapy treatment modules on symptom change during treatment and on outcomes post-treatment. Secondary analyses of depressive symptoms collected from two group therapy studies conducted in substance use treatment settings were examined (n=132 and n=44). Change in PHQ-9 scores was modeled using longitudinal growth modeling combined with random effects modeling of session effects, with time-in-treatment interacted with module theme to test moderation. In both studies, depressive symptoms significantly decreased during the active treatment phase. Symptom reductions were not significantly moderated by module theme in the larger study. However, the smaller pilot study's results suggest that future examination of module effects is warranted, given the data are compatible with differential reductions in reported symptoms being associated with attending people-themed module sessions versus thoughts-themed sessions.