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Personalized Approach to Healthy Use and Recovery (PATH) Trial

Understanding and Treating Substance Use Disorder and Comorbid Conditions in Veterans' Real-Life Settings

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Inclusion criteria for this study are intended to include most Veterans with SUD
* inclusion criteria are current probable SUD as indicated by:

  * a clinical score on the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) or drug use disorders identification test (DUDIT)
  * past-month substance use
  * a reliable access to a smartphone, tablet, or other device with capability of accessing and completing surveys throughout the day

    * this will exclude those who are currently completing inpatient treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

* exclusion criteria are being under the influence of a judgment-impairing substance at the time of consent (e.g., cannabis, alcohol, illicit opioids)

  * participants will be invited to return another day
* being legally compelled to complete treatment
* or being under civil commitment

  * due to lack of ability to give autonomous consent in these situations

About the study

An important part of substance use treatment for many people is learning what triggers their substance use and urges, and how they can better manage those triggers. In this study, the investigators will generate a model for each individual that shows likely causal links between their substance use, urges, and comorbid symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, and PTSD), and the investigators will examine these models as a group to draw conclusions about common causes for substance use (and recovery) among Veterans with substance use disorders. The investigators will also test whether receiving a personal model and clinical feedback improves substance use disorder and comorbid symptom outcomes. Results will include both patient-reported and statistically-determined causes of substance use for individuals and groups, clinical impact of a personalized model and feedback session, and participant feedback about the relevance of this study and intervention.

What is being tested

• Personal Causal Model + Personalized Feedback (behavioral)

Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Participants: 74 · Started: Oct 1, 2025

Contact the study team

• Brittany Stevenson, PhD · Phone: (612) 467-3023
• Kelvin O Lim, MD · Phone: (612) 467-3323

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06580457

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Drug Use and Addiction

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Oct 1, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.