Real-time, contextual intervention using mobile technology to reduce marijuana use among youth: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Addiction Science
• Digital Health Interventions
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Frequent marijuana use among youth is a significant public health concern.
• Existing interventions may lack engagement or real-time support for adolescents.
• Mobile health (mHealth) offers potential for accessible and scalable interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of the MOMENT intervention for reducing youth marijuana use.
• To assess the impact of a combined motivational enhancement therapy and mobile self-monitoring intervention on marijuana use and related factors.
• To examine changes in marijuana desire and use in response to mobile-based, trigger-specific messaging.

Main Methods:

• A feasibility study involving 27 adolescents (ages 15-24) with frequent marijuana use.
• Participants engaged in motivational enhancement therapy and completed 1 week of baseline mobile self-monitoring, followed by 2 weeks of intervention.
• Intervention included mobile reports on triggers, desire, and use, with responsive self-efficacy-boosting messages.

Main Results:

• Participants found the MOMENT intervention feasible, acceptable, and motivating.
• While the proportion of time in trigger contexts did not change, marijuana desire and use following trigger exposure significantly decreased (p<.0001 and p=.03).
• Daily and individual-level measures indicated non-significant improvements.

Conclusions:

• The MOMENT intervention is a feasible and well-accepted approach for frequent adolescent marijuana users.
• The intervention shows potential efficacy in reducing marijuana desire and use, particularly in trigger-related contexts.
• Mobile-based interventions hold promise for addressing youth substance use in real-time.