Reducing craving and lapse risk in alcohol and stimulants dependence using mobile app involving ecological momentary assessment and self-guided psychological interventions: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background The prevalence of alcohol consumption in Poland is estimated to be as high as 80% of the adult population. The use of stimulants is the second most common reason for seeking addiction treatment. However, treatment outcomes remain unsatisfactory, as 40-85% of individuals who complete various treatment programs relapse and fall back into addiction within 2 years following program completion. Methods The 13-armed randomized controlled trial aimed to assess the effectiveness of a mobile app-based self-guided psychological intervention delivered via a smartphone app (Naogometr) in reducing craving and lapse risk in problematic alcohol or stimulants use. Participant recruitment and data collection will be performed from June 2022 to September 2022. The 4-week mobile intervention program will include short-term and long-term intervention modules based mainly on mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Intervention effectiveness assessment will include Ecological Momentary Assessment. That is, we will collect longitudinal data on a set of characteristics of day-to-day functioning. The primary outcomes will include a self-reported number of lapses and addiction craving level. In contrast, the secondary outcomes will be the severity of problematic substance use, anxiety and depression scores, and life satisfaction scores. Conclusion This study will establish how mobile app-based self-guided psychological interventions can help reduce craving and lapse risk in alcohol and stimulant dependence. If successful, this randomized controlled trial (RCT) may provide an innovative, easily available, and cost-effective mHealth approach for craving and lapse risk in substance addictions. Clinical trial registration [https://clinicaltrials.gov/], identifier [NCT054 34429].