A relational agent for treating substance use in adults: A randomized controlled trial with a psychoeducational comparator.

J Subst Use Addict TreatApr 24, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchPsychiatry

Judith J Prochaska, Maggie Wang, Amy Chieng et al.

✦ AI-curated · Sources linked

In 30 seconds

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of the Woebot for Substance Use Disorders (W-SUD) app in reducing substance use occasions among U.S. adults with problematic substance use. The study involved 258 participants and found no significant treatment effect between W-SUD and a psychoeducational control, with both groups showing moderate to large reductions in substance use at the end of treatment and at one-month follow-up.

Key findings

  • Both W-SUD and psychoeducation groups showed a within-group change of -13.6 and -12.9 past-month substance use occasions, respectively.
  • No significant treatment effect was observed between W-SUD and psychoeducation (beta = -0.675, p = 0.741).
  • Decreases in substance use occasions correlated with reductions in anxiety and depression across both groups.
  • Participants sent a median of 322.5 in-app messages during the W-SUD intervention.

Why it matters

Digital mental health interventions like W-SUD may provide accessible support for individuals with substance use issues. Understanding their efficacy compared to traditional methods is crucial for integrating technology into treatment strategies.

Source

PubMed · PMID 42035882

Published in J Subst Use Addict Treat. This summary was written by xxcode from the publication's abstract and metadata. It is not peer reviewed and is not a substitute for the original article. For clinical decisions, review the original publication.

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