Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions Targeting Alcohol or Other Drug Use and Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders: A Meta-Analysis.
Alcohol Alcohol 2021;
56:535-544. [PMID:
33778869 PMCID:
PMC8406071 DOI:
10.1093/alcalc/agab016]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS
This meta-analysis reviewed 15 clinical trials (18 study sites/arms), examining the efficacy of an integrated cognitive-behavioral intervention (CBI) delivered to individuals with an alcohol or other drug use disorder and a co-occurring mental health disorder (AOD/MHD). Outcomes were alcohol or other drug use and mental health symptoms at post-treatment through follow-up.
METHODS
The inverse-variance weighted effect size was calculated for each study and pooled under random effects assumptions.
RESULTS
Integrated CBI showed a small effect size for AOD (g = 0.188, P = 0.061; I2 = 86%, τ2 = 0.126, k = 18) and MHD (g = 0.169, P = 0.024; I2 = 58%, τ2 = 0.052, k = 18) outcomes, although only MHD outcomes were statistically significant. Analysis by subgroup suggested that effect magnitude varied by type of contrast condition (integrated CBI + usual care vs. usual care only; integrated CBI vs. a single-disorder intervention), follow-up time point (post-treatment vs. 3-6 months) and primary AOD/MHD diagnosis, although these sub-groups often contained significant residual heterogeneity. In a series of mixed effects, meta-regression models, demographic factors were non-significant predictors of between-study heterogeneity. For AOD outcomes, greater effects were observed in higher quality studies, but study quality was not related to effect size variability for MHD outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
The current meta-analysis shows a small and variable effect for integrated CBI with the most promising effect sizes observed for integrated CBI compared with a single disorder intervention (typically an AOD-only intervention) for follow-up outcomes, and for interventions targeting alcohol use and/or post-traumatic stress disorder. Given the clinical and methodological variability within the sample, results should be considered a preliminary, but important step forward in our understanding of treatment for co-occurring AOD/MHD.
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