A Digital Intervention to Decrease Self-Stigma Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women With Substance Use Disorder
Washington University School of Medicine
Summary
Digital interventions have the potential to support healthier behaviors among pregnant and postpartum women (PPW) with substance use disorders (SUDs) and may also provide a promising method for reducing their self-stigma. Enhearten is a digital intervention designed to foster adherence to medications for addiction treatment (MAT) while considering the unique needs of PPW, but its effects on self-stigma, treatment retention, and SUD outcomes have not been rigorously tested. The investigators will conduct an individual-level multicenter randomized controlled trial to test the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of Enhearten on reducing self-stigma and on improving SUD treatment and recovery outcomes with a stigma-focused ecological momentary intervention (EMI) designed to: 1) screen for feelings of stigma and 2) counteract these vulnerabilities among PPW with SUD via just-in-time interventions.
Description
Pregnant and postpartum women (PPW) with substance use disorders (SUDs) face high levels of self-stigma, the internalization of negative feelings about oneself because of drug misuse. Self-stigma is highly correlated with numerous detrimental consequences including recovery outcomes and reduced engagement with SUD treatment. Furthermore, self-stigma prevents treatment initiation and engagement among PPW with SUDs, leading to additional adverse health outcomes for both mother and baby. Digital interventions have the potential to support healthier behaviors among PPW with SUDs and may also provi…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Pregnant women and new mothers (up to 12 months postpartum) * Adult (≥18 years of age) * Fluent in English * Currently owns or has ready (daily) access to a smartphone or tablet to use Enhearten. * Self-reports a history of substance use, excluding alcohol use, nicotine/tobacco use, and drugs taken as prescribed by a physician OR a history of substance use, excluding alcohol use, nicotine/tobacco use, and drugs taken as prescribed by a physician, is identified in chart review as documented by a healthcare provider Exclusion Criteria: \- Significant cognitive impairment…
Interventions
- BehavioralEnhearten with EMI
Enhearten is a digital intervention that is designed to foster adherence to medications for addiction treatment (MAT) and treatment retention while considering the unique needs of pregnant and postpartum women, and recently it has been adapted to include features designed to decrease self-stigma among app-users
- BehavioralWaitlist Control Group
Participants will receive access to Enhearten with EMI following the trial.
Location
- Washington University School of MedicineSt Louis, Missouri