Helping adolescents reduce alcohol and cannabis use through cognitive training
Official title: Approach Bias Modification for Co-Occurring Cannabis and Alcohol Use among Treatment-Seeking Adolescents
Funded at Medical University of South Carolina · NIH-11053604 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is trying out a new computer program to help teens who want to cut back on drinking alcohol and using cannabis by changing how they react to pictures of these substances, with the hope that it will help them use less.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2021 |
| Project end | March 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $208,980 |
| NIH project number | 5K23DA050800-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11053604 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents aged 12 to 20 who are seeking treatment for co-occurring alcohol and cannabis use.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not use alcohol or cannabis or who are outside the age range of 12 to 20 may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing and testing a new intervention aimed at helping adolescents who are seeking treatment for alcohol and cannabis use. The approach involves a computerized task that helps participants change their automatic responses to drug-related images, encouraging them to avoid these substances. By using a modified version of this task, the study aims to retrain the way adolescents think about alcohol and cannabis, potentially leading to reduced use. The research will involve a pilot randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of this intervention among adolescents.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide adolescents with effective tools to reduce their alcohol and cannabis use, leading to healthier outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success with similar cognitive bias modification approaches in reducing substance use, although this specific application among adolescents is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hahn, Austin Matthew — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Hahn, Austin Matthew
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.