Online and Mobile Interventions for Problem Gambling, Alcohol, and Drugs: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Online interventions for gambling, alcohol, and illegal drug related problems have been developing at a fast pace over the past decade. Yet, little is known about the content and efficacy of interventions provided entirely online for reducing drug/alcohol use and gambling, or about the characteristics of those who use these interventions. This systematic review aims to describe the characteristics of online interventions, their efficacy, and the profile of their clientele. Documentation was mainly obtained through four scientific databases in psychology, technology, and medical research (PsychINFO, MedLine, Francis, and INSPEC) using three keywords (substances or gambling, intervention, Internet). Of the 4,708 documents initially identified, 18 studies meeting admissibility criteria were retained and analyzed after exclusion of duplicates and non-relevant documents. No study in the review related to problem gambling. The majority of interventions were based upon motivational or cognitive-behavioral theoretical approaches and called upon well-established therapeutic components in the field of addictions. The participants in these studies were generally adults between 30 and 46 years old with a high school education and presenting a high risk or problematic use. More than three quarters of the studies showed a short-term decrease in use that was maintained 6 months later, but only two studies included a 12 months follow-up. Online interventions seem promising and appear to meet the needs of participants who are in the workforce and seeking help for the first time. Long-term efficacy studies should nonetheless be conducted.

Internet-Based Interventions for Problem Gambling: Scoping Review

“…There have been several reviews of the current evidence of using internet-based resources to offer interventions in addressing problem gambling [6]. Giroux et al [7] conducted a review of the efficacy of interventions for problem alcohol use, problem substance use, and problem gambling delivered entirely through online environments. Their review found that for alcohol- and substance-focused interventions, online environments offered a great opportunity to deliver interventions that were largely similar in content and theory to those delivered through more traditional means, with the added benefit of increasing access for those that might not otherwise seek treatment.…”

The particular case of conducting addiction intervention research on Mechanical Turk

“…As more researchers turn to on-line convenience samples in an effort to reach hidden populations of substance users, reviews such as that by Mellis & Bickel [1] are both timely and necessary. Also, as the interest in developing efficacious on-line interventions for addictions grows [2,3], Mechanical Turk (MTurk) presents a viable platform for the development and testing of these interventions due to its affordability and large participant pool. Nevertheless, its use in clinical research comes with challenges and limitations, such as non-naiveté, worker inattention and fraudulent responses [1,4].…”

Smartphone Apps About Crystal Methamphetamine (“Ice”): Systematic Search in App Stores and Assessment of Composition and Quality (Preprint)

“…Whilst one of the apps reviewed had been subject to a randomised controlled trial [37], rigorous evaluations of app effectiveness in the illicit substance use field are rare [12,13]. Whilst scientific evaluation of the effectiveness of apps is important, the speed with which the app market and the technology on which it is based changes rapidly, and the length of time needed to conduct and publish randomised controlled trials presents a considerable challenge to researchers [12].…”

“…We found one review that specifically reviewed apps that promote illicit drug use [32], and one review that analysed illicit drug overdose apps [33]. We identified two systematic reviews of online and mobile interventions targeting problematic substance use [12,13], both of which reviewed published intervention studies rather than available apps per se. We were unable to identify an existing systematic review of publicly available apps targeting either illicit drug use in general or crystal methamphetamine specifically.…”

“…Smartphone devices are now widely used, with 64% of the US and 74% of the Australian population owning a device in 2015-16 [10,11], and 62% of smartphone owners reporting that they used their phone to access health-related information in the past year [10]. Like Internet-based interventions, smartphone apps offer numerous advantages in terms of addressing public health issues [12,13], such as increased accessibility, portability of information, lowcosts, anonymity, and the ability to provide tailored feedback and support.…”