'Before, we ended up in conflicts, now we can provide support'-Experiences of Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) for parents of young adults with hazardous substance use.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of hazardous substance use is highest in the age between 18 and 25, but few young adults enter treatment. Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) is a support program for concerned significant others (CSOs) of individuals with diverse substance use disorders and is proven efficacious in promoting treatment entry. The aim of the current study was to investigate the experiences of CRAFT among parents of substance using young adults. METHODS: We used a qualitative design conducting semi-structured interviews with 10 parents of young adults (18-24 years) with hazardous substance use. The participants were recruited from a randomized controlled trial of the CRAFT program. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: We divided the results into three overall domains-Reasons for entering the CRAFT program, Strengths of the CRAFT program and Limitations of the CRAFT program - with three to four themes under each domain. The parents appreciated the accessible support at a time when they needed it due to feelings of shock and powerlessness, and they described communication strategies together with positive reinforcement as the two most helpful CRAFT-sessions. Regarding limitations of CRAFT in the current population, the parents wanted more accessible support for the young adults when they were ready to enter treatment, and described difficulties to practice CRAFT-components due to changing life-circumstances and fear of aggravated health for their young adults. CONCLUSION: The results provide arguments for the health care system to implement support programs to parents of young adults with hazardous substance use. The results show that CRAFT is suitable for the current population, but with some possible additions due to changing circumstances that are common in the young adult developmental phase emerging adulthood. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was pre-registered at isrctn.com, reference number ISRCTN12212515 date: November 7, 2018.

Community Reinforcement and Family Training versus counselling for parents of treatment-refusing young adults with hazardous substance use: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite the high prevalence and negative effects of hazardous substance use, few young adults enter treatment. Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT), a support programme for concerned significant others of people with substance use disorders, has proved efficacious in promoting treatment entry. The aim of the current trial was to compare the efficacy of CRAFT with an active control for parents of young adults (aged 18-24 years) with hazardous substance use. DESIGN: This was a randomized controlled superiority trial comparing CRAFT (n = 58) with an active control group receiving manualized counselling (n = 55), with outcome assessments at 6, 12 and 24 weeks (primary end-point). A sequential design with a stopping rule was added post recruitment commencement. SETTING: The study took place in two outpatient clinics for young adults in Stockholm, Sweden, and subsequently via video-conference due to COVID-19. PARTICIPANTS: Between October 2018 and May 2021, 113 participants (92% female) who were parents of young adults (87% male) were recruited. Recruitment was discontinued when 70% of the planned sample had been recruited, following an interim analysis of the primary outcome showing no difference between conditions. INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR: Participants were randomized (ratio 1 : 1) to eight manual-based individual CRAFT sessions or five individual manual-based counselling sessions + one voluntary psychoeducative group session, delivered over maximum 14 weeks. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome measure was the rate of young adult entry in substance use treatment during the trial period (24 weeks). FINDINGS: At the 24 weeks follow-up, 19 (33%) of CRAFT participants and 17 (31%) of counselling participants had reported young adult treatment entry, with no difference between conditions (odds ratio CRAFT versus counselling 0.84, 95% confidence interval = 0.35; 1.99, P = 0.700). Both conditions reported clinically relevant reductions in young adult substance use, but no change in participants' levels of depression, anxiety or stress. CONCLUSIONS: This trial showed no statistically significant evidence that Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT), a support programme for concerned significant others of people with substance use disorders, is more efficacious than manual-based counselling regarding treatment entry for young adults.

A shift in focus: Mothers' descriptions of sharing a child with a co-parent with unhealthy alcohol use after participating in a support program.

BACKGROUND: Unhealthy alcohol use (UAU) affects not only the drinking individual, but also significant others (SOs), such as partners and children. Most of the harm to others caused by alcohol can be attributed to common, moderate drinking patterns, but existing studies have mainly included SOs of individuals with severe UAU. There is a need for increased knowledge regarding SOs of individuals in an earlier stage of UAU and efficacious support programs for this group. The aims of this study were to investigate reasons for seeking support as described by SOs sharing a child with a co-parent with UAU and to investigate how SOs perceived effects of a web-based self-delivered support program. METHODS: A qualitative design conducting semi-structured interviews with 13 female SOs sharing a child with a co-parent with UAU. The SOs were recruited from a randomized controlled trial of the web-based program and had completed at least two of four modules in the program. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Regarding reasons for seeking support, we created four categories and two subcategories. Main reasons were wanting validation/emotional support and coping strategies for handling the co-parent, and negative perceptions of available support options for SOs. Regarding perceived effects of the program, we created three categories and three subcategories. Main effects were an improved relationship to their children, increased own positive activities, and less adaptation to the co-parent, though SOs also mentioned what was perceived as missing in the program. We argue that the interviewees represent a population of SOs living with co-parents with slightly less severe UAU than previous studies and therefore provide new insights for future interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The web-based approach with potential anonymity was important for facilitating support-seeking. Support for the SOs themselves and coping strategies for co-parent alcohol consumption were more common reasons for seeking help than worry about the children. For many SOs, the program was a first step in seeking further support. Spending more dedicated time with their children and being validated as living under stressful conditions were described by the SOs as particularly helpful. Trial registration The trial was pre-registered at isrctn.com, reference number ISRCTN38702517, November 28, 2017.

An online self-directed program combining Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training and parenting training for concerned significant others sharing a child with a person with problematic alcohol consumption: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There is an urgent need for interventions helping children affected by parental problematic alcohol consumption (PAC). Such interventions could target partners to individuals with PAC, partners who often themselves show impaired quality of life and mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of an online self-directed intervention combining components from Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training (CRAFT) with a parenting training program for concerned significant others (CSOs) sharing a child with a co-parent with PAC. METHODS: A randomized controlled parallel-group superiority trial compared the efficacy of the online intervention for CSOs sharing a child (3-11 y/o) with a co-parent with PAC (N = 37), to an active control group (N = 39) receiving written psychoeducational material. Assessment of outcomes was conducted at baseline, 3 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks. Primary outcome was children's mental health, while secondary outcomes included parental self-efficacy, CSO mental health and co-parent alcohol consumption and level of dependence. Linear mixed effect models with a factorial time variable were used to model time by group interaction effects. RESULTS: Recruitment rate was slow and a vast majority of interested CSOs were excluded at baseline assessment, mainly due experience of co-parent violence. The target sample size was not met. The intention to treat analysis did not show any significant time by group effects on either the primary or secondary outcomes during the follow-up period: the CSOs reported a significant reduction in co-parent alcohol consumption and severity of alcohol dependence and showed significant improvements in parental self-efficacy for how to handle effects of co-parent alcohol consumption, but no differences were found between the two conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The current study found no evidence supporting efficacy of a novel, online self-directed intervention on children's mental health, CSO mental health and co-parent alcohol related outcomes. Engaging in a support program or receiving information appears to initiate behavior change in the CSOs which affects the alcohol consumption and severity of dependence for co-parents with PAC. It is suggested that future studies may preferably focus on CSOs in more severely affected contexts. Trial registration The trial was pre-registered at isrctn.com reference number ISRCTN38702517, November 28, 2017.

Efficacy of an Internet-Based Community Reinforcement and Family Training Program to Increase Treatment Engagement for AUD and to Improve Psychiatric Health for CSOs: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

AIMS: Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training (CRAFT) is a support program for concerned significant others (CSOs) to identified persons (IPs) with alcohol use disorders, with the purpose of engaging IPs to treatment and to improve CSO functioning. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of an internet-based version of CRAFT (iCRAFT). METHODS: Randomized controlled trial comparing iCRAFT with a wait-list (WL) condition with a nation-wide uptake in Sweden. A total of 94 CSOs to a treatment refusing IP, who described the IP according to DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence or abuse, were included in the study. iCRAFT consisted of five weekly administered therapist-guided modules with the following content: (a) improve CSOs' own mental health, (b) improve the CSOs skills in asking the IP to seek treatment, (c) positive communication skills training, (d) contingency management of IP drinking behavior. Main outcome measure was IPs initiative to seek treatment measured at 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes were IP's daily alcohol consumption, CSOs mental health, quality of life and relational satisfaction. RESULTS: Of 94 participants, 15 CSOs reported IP treatment initiative during the study period. Of these, 10 belonged to the iCRAFT condition and five to the WL condition. The difference between conditions was nonsignificant, and the results were inconclusive. Participants in iCRAFT showed short-term improvements regarding depressive symptoms, quality of life and relational happiness. CONCLUSION: This study was unable to demonstrate substantial changes in the iCRAFT program regarding IP treatment seeking or CSO mental health.

Combining online Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) with a parent-training programme for parents with partners suffering from alcohol use disorder: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Partners and children of individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) present with impaired quality of life and mental health, yet seldom seek or participate in traditional supportive interventions. Engaging the parent/partner without AUD in treatment is a promising way of supporting behavioural change in both the child and the parent with AUD. Universal parent-training (PT) programmes are effective in increasing children's well-being and decreasing problem behaviours, but have yet to be tailored for children with a parent with AUD. Community Reinforcement Approach And Family Training (CRAFT) programmes are conceptually similar, and aim to promote behavioural change in individuals with AUD by having a concerned significant other change environmental contingencies. There has been no study on whether these two interventions can be combined and tailored for partners of individuals with AUD with common children, and delivered as accessible, online self-help. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: n=300 participants with a child showing mental health problems and partner (co-parent) with AUD, but who do not themselves present with AUD, will be recruited from the general public and randomised 1:1 to either a four-module, online combined PT and CRAFT programme or a psychoeducation-only comparison intervention. Primary outcome will be the child's mental health. Additional outcomes will cover the partner's drinking, the participants own mental health and drinking, the child's social adjustment, treatment seeking in all three parties and parental self-efficacy. Measures will be collected preintervention, mid-intervention and postintervention, and three times during a 2-year follow-up period. Data will be analysed using mixed-effects modelling. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been approved by the Stockholm Regional Ethical Review Board (2016/2179-31). The results will be presented at conferences and published as peer-reviewed publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN38702517; Pre-results.