Interventions to Aid Expansion of Recovery Support Services for Substance Use Disorder

Last registered on January 19, 2022
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Interventions to Aid Expansion of Recovery Support Services for Substance Use Disorder
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0008758
Initial registration date
January 19, 2022

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
January 19, 2022, 4:40 PM EST

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country
United States of America
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Madison Ashworth
Affiliation
Fletcher Group, Inc.
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Robin Thompson
PI Affiliation
Fletcher Group, Inc
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Linda Thunstrom
PI Affiliation
University of Wyoming
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Ernest Fletcher
PI Affiliation
Fletcher Group, Inc
Contact Investigator
PI Name
David Johnson
PI Affiliation
Fletcher Group, Inc
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Grace Clancy
PI Affiliation
Fletcher Group, Inc
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2022-01-31
End date
2022-09-30
Keywords
Behavior, Health
Additional Keywords
substance use disorder, stigma, recovery housing
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
We will design a survey experiment testing the effect of four different information messages on financial and political support of recovery housing and recovery housing stigma, that vary in the perceived social distance of those in recovery housing. We will test one data-heavy message that describes the effectiveness of recovery housing in improving outcomes relating to substance use, mental health, criminal justice involvement, and employment. We will also test three contact-based interventions each telling the same story with varying anonymity of the storyteller. In one contact intervention, the story of an individual who benefited from recovery housing will be told, but no identifying information about the individual will be given. In the second contact intervention, the same story will be told, and the individual’s name will be given to participants. In the third contact intervention, the participants will be shown a video of the individual telling their story. We will test these interventions in a nationally representative U.S. sample (N=2,000), with oversampling of rural populations to ensure heterogenous treatment effects across rural and non-rural areas can be detected.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Ashworth, Madison et al. 2022. "Interventions to Aid Expansion of Recovery Support Services for Substance Use Disorder." AEA RCT Registry. January 19. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.8758-1.0
Sponsors & Partners

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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We will design a survey experiment testing the effect of four different information messages, that vary in the perceived social distance of those in recovery housing. We will test one data-heavy message that describes the effectiveness of recovery housing in improving outcomes relating to substance use, mental health, criminal justice involvement, and employment. We will also test three contact-based interventions each telling the same story with varying anonymity of the storyteller. In one contact intervention, the story of an individual who benefited from recovery housing will be told, but no identifying information about the individual will be given. In the second contact intervention, the same story will be told, and the individual’s name will be given to participants. In the third contact intervention, the participants will be shown a video of the individual telling their story.
Intervention Start Date
2022-01-31
Intervention End Date
2022-03-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Our outcome variables consist of measures of stigma and support of recovery housing. We will measure stigma using two validated scales that measure the stigma towards recovery housing and stigma towards individuals with SUDs (Brown, 2011; Taylor & Dear, 1981). We will include two measures of support for recovery housing. First, all participants will have the option to sign either a petition encouraging or discouraging investment in recovery housing in their state. If participants indicate they would like to sign the petition supporting recovery housing in their state, they then have the choice between signing a petition encouraging or discouraging investment in recovery housing in their specific zip code. Second, half of the sample will be given an additional $5 and that they may use for donations to the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR).
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Participants will be randomized into one of five treatments which varies in the intervention shown. The intervention may be the data-heavy message, one of 3 contact interventions, or the control group. After treatment, participants will be randomized into one of three outcome branches. The first outcome set will only ask if they would like to send a petition encouraging or discouraging investment in recovery housing in their state. If participants indicate they would like to sign the petition supporting recovery housing in their state, they then have the choice between signing a petition encouraging or discouraging investment in recovery housing in their specific zip code. In the second outcome set, participants will be asked to the petition questions and then asked if they would like to donate up to $5 to the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR). In the third outcome set, participants will be asked if they would like to donate money to NARR prior to being asked if they would like to sign a petition.
After the treatment and financial and political outcomes, participants will be asked a series of validated stigma scales, their experience with individuals with substance use disorder, and various demographic and employment questions.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
By a computer
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
0
Sample size: planned number of observations
2000 nationally representative + 500 rural residents + 500 Oregon residents
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
400 nationally representative + 100 rural + 100 Oregon
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Western Institutional Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2022-01-10
IRB Approval Number
N/A
Analysis Plan

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Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials