A Brief Values Intervention to Support Veterans in Early Buprenorphine Treatment

Launched by VA OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT · Dec 27, 2021

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is focused on helping Veterans who are starting treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), which is a serious condition involving a dependence on opioids. The study aims to develop and test a new type of brief therapy that helps Veterans improve their social interactions and community connections during the early stages of their recovery. While medications like buprenorphine can help manage addiction, they don’t always address the emotional and social challenges that come with recovery. The trial will involve three phases: creating the treatment based on Veterans' feedback, testing it with a small group to make sure it works well, and finally comparing it to standard treatment with a larger group of Veterans.

To be eligible for this trial, participants should be Veterans who have been diagnosed with moderate to severe opioid use disorder and have recently started medication treatment for it. They must be able to give consent and participate fully in the study. However, individuals with certain mental health conditions, active substance use requiring detox, or cognitive impairments that could affect participation will not be included. Those who join the trial can expect to play a role in shaping a new support treatment while also receiving care to help improve their quality of life during recovery.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Meets current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - 5th Edition criteria for moderate to severe opioid use disorder
• • Within 12 weeks of initiating buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone treatment for opioid use disorder following at least 2 months without treatment
• • Competent to provide written informed consent
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Evidence of active psychosis or mania
• • Suicidality requiring inpatient hospitalization
• • Active substance use requiring detoxification
• • Cognitive impairment that would interfere with study participation