Preventing Violence Among Veterans in Substance Use Disorder Treatment

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact on both clinical (violence and substance use) outcomes and health services use (substance use disorder and mental health treatment) compared to standard SUD treatment (enhanced treatment as usual) of an integrated Motivational Interviewing-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (MI-CBT) violence prevention treatment intervention delivered during the 8-week early substance use disorder treatment phase; and MI-CBT plus a continuing care (CC) intervention for the 3-month continuing care period following the early treatment phase MI-CBT+CC). The study will provide important new information regarding the role and relative impact of both early treatment and continuing care interventions designed to impact substance use and violence, and whether combining such interventions yields additional benefits.

Objective: Rates of violence in Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment samples often exceed 50%, with studies showing rates of past-year violence >70% when considering violence occurring with either intimate partners or others. Violence has numerous costs to Veterans and their families, in terms of physical (e.g., injuries) and psychosocial problems (mental health, legal problems, marital problems, poorer functioning for their children, etc.). To date, only one treatment approach (Behavioral Couples Therapy - BCT) has been established that reduces both substance use and violence, and BCT focuses exclusively on the couples' relationship. Given that a small proportion of Veterans in SUD treatment have a partner willing or able to attend treatment, and that a substantial amount of violence occurs with non-partners, there is a clear need for interventions that do not require partner participation and focus on violence and relapse prevention more generally. Based on prior findings, new intervention approaches targeting the use of violence prevention skills and means of sustaining substance use remission are needed. The primary objectives of this study are to examine the impact on both substance use and violence outcomes of: an acute treatment phase integrated Motivational Interviewing-Cognitive Behavioral Treatment intervention (MI-CBT); and MI-CBT plus a violence and substance use prevention Continuing Care intervention (MI-CBT+CC) intervention. Research Plan: Participants will be randomized to one of three conditions: MI-CBT, MI-CBT+CC or an enhanced treatment as usual (E-TAU) control condition with follow-up interviews targeting violence and substance use outcomes at 3, 6 and 12-months. The MI-CBT intervention involves six individual sessions delivered during the acute SUD treatment phase, combines Motivational Interviewing (MI) and CBT approaches targeting violence and substance use, and has been developed, piloted and refined by the investigators. The MI-CBT+CC intervention includes acute phase MI-CBT plus weekly telephone sessions for an additional 3-month period, and is designed to address both post-treatment violence and substance use through facilitating SUD remission and use of violence prevention skills. The MI-CBT+CC intervention is adapted from a continuing care intervention shown to help consolidate and maintain gains made in treatment. Methods: Veterans with substance use disorders will be recruited from the Substance Abuse Clinic (SAC) at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare system. Approximately 855 Veterans enrolling in SAC will be consented and screened, and those screening positive for severe and recent violence (~30%) and meeting other project inclusion/exclusion criteria will be eligible for participation in the randomized controlled trial (n = 210). The clinical interventions will be delivered by master's level clinicians, who will be monitored and supervised by licensed psychologists. Primary dependent measures (violence, substance use) will be measured at baseline and follow-up interviews, and the impact of the interventions on services use during the follow-up period also will be examined.

MI-CBT (six sessions during acute treatment phase integrating motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral approaches)

MI-CBT+CC (acute phase MI-CBT intervention plus a subsequent 12-week phone based continuing care counseling intervention)

Six individual psychotherapy sessions during the acute substance use disorder treatment phase integrating motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral approaches

Acute phase MI-CBT intervention plus a subsequent 12-week phone based continuing care counseling intervention

The CTS-SI is a semi-structured interview assessing interpersonal violence (violence severity, injury and characteristics of interpersonal conflict incidents). Baseline data collection assessed the 180 days prior to enrollment, and follow-up data was collected at 3 and 6 months for the prior 90 days, and at 12 months for the past 180 days. The analysis below compares the month rate of various types of interpersonal aggression from the period pre-baseline to the monthly rate post-intervention (across all 12 months of follow-up) in the form of % difference. Means at baseline, 3 , 6 and 12 months were compared resulting in a number with no measure of dispersion. Values were calculated across all participants. There were primary aggression outcomes (overall physical aggression, injuring another person), and secondary aggression outcomes (partner physical aggression and injury, nonpartner physical aggression and injury).

Data was collected via a Time-line Follow Back interview. Semi-structured interview assessing alcohol and drug use. Baseline data collection assessed the 180 days prior to enrollment, and follow-up data was collected at 3 and 6 months for the prior 90 days, and at 12 months for the past 180 days. The analysis below compares the monthly rate of various types of substance use (heavy drinking, cocaine, marijuana, and illicit) from the period pre-baseline to the monthly rate post-intervention (across all 12 months of follow-up) in the form of % difference. (% days use for each substance) Means at baseline, 3 , 6 and 12 months were compared resulting in a number with no measure of dispersion. Values were calculated across all participants.

Inclusion Criteria: Participants with severe and recent violence (i.e., injuring another person in the past year) will be eligible for the RCT. Eligible patients also will meet DSM-IV criteria for either alcohol or illicit drug (e.g., cocaine, marijuana, opiates, etc.) abuse/dependence. The study will include those with comorbid mood and/or anxiety problems (e.g., depression, PTSD and other anxiety disorders), whether or not on medication at the point of recruitment, with the exception of those who have schizophrenia and/or are mentally incompetent (e.g., unable to provide informed consent). A brief mental status screen will with an established cutoff will be required for competency. Exclusion Criteria: Participants who are suicidal (ideation, intent and plan) at the point of recruitment will not be enrolled in the study. Rather, research staff will inform clinical staff at the study site if a potential participant is currently suicidal. Participants who report transient suicidal ideation but no intent or plan will be eligible to participate. As noted, individuals with schizophrenia and/or who are mentally incompetent to consent for participation will be excluded. Finally, participants who live outside the study catchment area (i.e., a 45 mile radius of the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System) will be excluded.

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Bennett DC, Morris DH, Sexton MB, Bonar EE, Chermack ST. Associations between posttraumatic stress and legal charges among substance using veterans. Law Hum Behav. 2018 Apr;42(2):135-144. doi: 10.1037/lhb0000268. Epub 2017 Oct 26.

Anderson RE, Bonar EE, Walton MA, Goldstick JE, Rauch SAM, Epstein-Ngo QM, Chermack ST. A Latent Profile Analysis of Aggression and Victimization Across Relationship Types Among Veterans Who Use Substances. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2017 Jul;78(4):597-607. doi: 10.15288/jsad.2017.78.597.

Davis AK, Bonar EE, Goldstick JE, Walton MA, Winters J, Chermack ST. Binge-drinking and non-partner aggression are associated with gambling among Veterans with recent substance use in VA outpatient treatment. Addict Behav. 2017 Nov;74:27-32. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.05.022. Epub 2017 May 20.

Buchholz KR, Bohnert KM, Sripada RK, Rauch SA, Epstein-Ngo QM, Chermack ST. Associations between PTSD and intimate partner and non-partner aggression among substance using veterans in specialty mental health. Addict Behav. 2017 Jan;64:194-199. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.08.039. Epub 2016 Aug 31.

Chermack ST, Bonar EE, Goldstick JE, Winters J, Blow FC, Friday S, Ilgen MA, Rauch SAM, Perron BE, Ngo QM, Walton MA. A randomized controlled trial for aggression and substance use involvement among Veterans: Impact of combining Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Treatment and telephone-based Continuing Care. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2019 Mar;98:78-88. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2019.01.001. Epub 2019 Jan 4.