Glasner S, Kay-Lambkin F, Budney AJ, et al. (2018). Preliminary outcomes of computerized CBT/MET intervention for depressed cannabis users in psychiatry care. Cannabis. 1(2): 36-47. doi: 10.26828/cannabis.2018.02.004
Self-Help for Alcohol and other Drug Use and Depression (SHADE) is a computerized, clinician-assisted intervention for substance use and depression. SHADE includes 10 weekly sessions, including an initial in-person motivational intervention and 9 sessions involving 10-15 minute check-ins with a research clinician and computerized modules addressing concepts from cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing. SHADE has demonstrated efficacy with community samples of depressed cannabis users who were seeking treatment for cannabis use and depression, but recruiting from mental health care settings can bring in participants who vary in levels readiness to change cannabis use. Researchers recruited 26 adults with cannabis use disorder and major depression from outpatient psychiatric clinics in Los Angeles to complete SHADE. Participants completed assessments of cannabis use, goals for changing use, depression, self-efficacy for avoiding cannabis use, coping skills, and health-related quality of life at baseline, the end of each session, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. Participants significantly reduced average percentage of past 30-day cannabis use between baseline (69%) and 1-month follow-up (44%) and average daily frequency of cannabis use per day of use between baseline (2.7) and post-intervention (1.7). Depression symptom severity significantly decreased between baseline and post-intervention and baseline and 1-month follow-up. Self-efficacy and coping increased between baseline and post-intervention. Participants liked SHADE content and reported that SHADE helped them work towards their goals. On average, participants spent 13 minutes with clinicians per session and 105 minutes with a clinician over the entire intervention.