Pink Cloud app to support recovery after substance use treatment
Digital Aftercare Assessed: An Evaluation of the Pink Cloud Application in Post-Treatment Substance Use Disorder Support
This project will test whether the Pink Cloud smartphone app helps adults recovering from substance or alcohol use get more days sober and have fewer substance‑related problems.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 1410 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Loyola Marymount University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Los Angeles, California) |
| Trial ID | NCT07042451 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial will assign 1,410 adults in various stages of recovery to either access the Pink Cloud mobile app or to an active control condition, with follow‑up assessments at 1, 3, and 6 months. Pink Cloud offers access to over 245,000 in‑person and virtual 12‑Step meetings plus tools such as a sobriety counter, daily planner, and personal inventory to support recovery. Primary outcomes are number of days sober and frequency of drug and alcohol problems, with secondary outcomes tracking meeting attendance, proportion of sober people in the participant's social network, and engagement in recovery activities. Participants must own a smartphone and be willing to attend peer or 12‑Step meetings while not currently enrolled in outpatient or residential treatment.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults (18+) in the United States who own a smartphone, are in early recovery or post‑treatment, are willing to attend 12‑Step or peer meetings, and are not currently in or planning to enter formal outpatient or residential substance‑use treatment.
Not a fit: People currently enrolled in outpatient or residential treatment, those planning to begin formal treatment soon, individuals without a smartphone, non‑English readers, or people under 18 are unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could help people in recovery stay sober longer, reduce substance‑related problems, and increase engagement with peer and 12‑Step supports.
How similar studies have performed: Previous app‑based recovery programs and interventions linking people to 12‑Step or peer meetings have shown mixed but generally promising results, with some trials reporting modest gains in abstinence and meeting attendance.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Participant is 18 years of age or older * Participant is willing to attend a 12-Step or peer-to-peer recovery meeting (in person or virtual) within the next week * Participant owns a personal smartphone with cellular service * Participant is a permanent resident of the United States * Participant feels comfortable reading and understanding written English in everyday situations * Participant has consumed alcohol and/or used drugs (excluding tobacco or prescribed medication) at some point in their life, but not within the past couple of days * Participant is not currently attending outpatient or residential treatment for substance and/or alcohol use * Participant does not have a plan to enter substance and/or alcohol treatment in the next 30 days * Participant has been invited by the research team to either the intervention or control condition and redeemed their subscription code. * Informed consent is provided Exclusion Criteria: * Participant is younger than 18 years of age * Participant is unwilling to attend a 12-Step or peer-to-peer recovery meeting (in person or virtual) within the next week * Participant does not own a personal smartphone with cellular service * Participant is not a permanent resident of the United States * Participant does not feel comfortable reading and understanding written English in everyday situations * Participant has consumed alcohol or used drugs (excluding tobacco or prescribed medication) within the past couple of days * Participant has never consumed alcohol or used drugs * Participant is currently attending outpatient or residential treatment for substance and/or alcohol use * Participant has a plan to enter substance and/or alcohol treatment in the next 30 days * Participant was not invited by the research team or did not redeem their assigned subscription code * Informed consent is not provided
Where this trial is running
Los Angeles, California
- Loyola Marymount — Los Angeles, California, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Joseph LaBrie, Ph.D.
- Email: jlabrie@lmu.edu
- Phone: 3103385238
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.