Personalized PATH plan for healthier use and recovery
Official title: Understanding and Treating Substance Use Disorder and Comorbid Conditions in Veterans' Real-Life Settings
Run by VA Office of Research and Development · NCT06580457 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try giving Veterans with substance use disorder a personal model of what causes their urges and substance use plus a one-hour feedback session to see if that helps their symptoms and recovery.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 74 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | VA Office of Research and Development Federal |
| Locations | 1 site (Minneapolis, Minnesota) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | October 1, 2029 |
| Study ends | March 29, 2030 |
| Registry record updated | January 15, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06580457 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are Veterans with a current probable substance use disorder who have used substances in the past month and can reliably complete smartphone- or tablet-based surveys throughout the day.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who are legally compelled to participate, under civil commitment, currently in inpatient treatment, intoxicated at consent, or without reliable access to a smartphone or tablet are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The trial enrolls 74 Veterans with probable substance use disorder who complete a personalized 4-week ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol measuring substance use, urges, and comorbid symptoms multiple times per day. Investigators will generate an individualized causal model from each participant's EMA data using causal discovery methods. Participants are randomized to receive their personal causal model plus an hour of clinical feedback and follow-up reminders or to a control condition. Outcomes include changes in substance use and comorbid symptoms, statistically derived and self-reported causes, and participant feedback on the intervention's relevance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants may gain clearer, personalized insight into triggers and receive targeted feedback that helps reduce substance use and related symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work using EMA and personalized causal models has shown promise for identifying individual triggers, but delivering those models as clinical feedback to improve outcomes remains relatively novel and not yet widely proven.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
* Inclusion criteria for this study are intended to include most Veterans with SUD
* inclusion criteria are current probable SUD as indicated by:
* a clinical score on the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) or drug use disorders identification test (DUDIT)
* past-month substance use
* a reliable access to a smartphone, tablet, or other device with capability of accessing and completing surveys throughout the day
* this will exclude those who are currently completing inpatient treatment
Exclusion Criteria:
* exclusion criteria are being under the influence of a judgment-impairing substance at the time of consent (e.g., cannabis, alcohol, illicit opioids)
* participants will be invited to return another day
* being legally compelled to complete treatment
* or being under civil commitment
* due to lack of ability to give autonomous consent in these situations
Where it's running
-
Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Brittany Stevenson, PhD — Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN
- Study coordinator: Brittany Stevenson, PhD
- Email: Brittany.Stevenson@va.gov
- Phone: (612) 467-3023
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.