Matching Treatments to Cognitive Deficits in Offenders with Substance Use Disorders
Funded at Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute · NIH-11336916 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A clinical trial tests targeted cognitive skills training to help offenders with substance use disorders who have specific thinking and behavior problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albuquerque, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $773,364 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA058004-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336916 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with substance use disorders who exhibit specific cognitive-emotional deficits and antisocial traits.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without the identified cognitive-emotional deficits or those outside the study’s inclusion criteria may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project builds on prior work showing two subtypes of antisocial offenders with different cognitive-emotional deficits. The team will use tailored cognitive skills training to address attention-based deficits and hyper-reactivity to personally relevant cues. In a large, well-powered randomized trial, participants will receive deficits-specific interventions and outcomes will be measured with lab-based cognitive tests and real-world behavioral changes. The goal is to see if matching treatments to each individual deficit improves self-regulation and reduces problematic behaviors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the trial could lead to more effective, personalized treatments for offenders with substance use disorders, reducing relapse and recidivism.
How similar studies have gone: Prior pilot work (R21) suggested improvements when deficits were matched with targeted interventions, now tested in a larger trial.
Where this research is happening
-
Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute
Albuquerque, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kiehl, Kent a — Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Kiehl, Kent a
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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.