A Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program for Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Area of Science:

• Addiction Medicine
• Digital Therapeutics
• Behavioral Health

Background:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective for alcohol use disorder but faces access limitations.
• Digital therapeutics offer a potential solution to improve patient access to evidence-based treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of a digital CBT program (CBT4CBT) against clinician-delivered CBT and standard treatment for reducing alcohol consumption.
• To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of digital CBT in increasing abstinence rates.

Main Methods:

• A 3-arm randomized clinical trial involving 99 adults with alcohol use disorder.
• Participants were assigned to treatment as usual (TAU), clinician-delivered CBT, or web-based digital CBT.
• Outcomes, including percentage of days abstinent (PDA), were assessed weekly and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups.

Main Results:

• While no significant differences were observed during the 8-week treatment period, digital CBT showed a faster rate of increase in PDA over the 8-month study.
• Digital CBT participants achieved significantly higher abstinence rates compared to TAU and clinician-delivered CBT by the 6-month follow-up.
• Mean PDA increased from baseline to 6-month follow-up: TAU (49.3% to 69.6%), CBT (53.7% to 70.2%), and digital CBT (47.6% to 82.6%).

Conclusions:

• The digital CBT program (CBT4CBT) demonstrates efficacy in improving alcohol abstinence rates over an 8-month period.
• Digital CBT represents a viable and effective alternative or adjunct to traditional treatments for alcohol use disorder.
• This study supports the use of digital therapeutics to enhance access and outcomes in addiction treatment.