title: A Pilot Study to Examine the Feasibility and Potential Effectiveness of Using Smartphones to Provide Recovery Support for Adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Smartphone applications can potentially provide recovery monitoring and support in real-time, real-life contexts. Study aims included determining feasibility of (a) adolescents completing ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) and utilizing phone-based ecological momentary interventions (EMIs); and (b) using EMA and EMI data to predict substance use in the subsequent week.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine adolescents were recruited at discharge from residential treatment, regardless of their discharge status or length of stay. During the 6-week pilot, youth were prompted to complete an EMA at 6 random times per day and were provided access to a suite of recovery support EMI. Youth completed 87% of the 5580 EMAs. Based on use in the next 7 days, EMA observations were classified into 3 risk groups: "Current Use" in the past 30 minutes (3% of observations), "Unrecognized Risk" (42%), or "Recognized Risk" (55%). All youth had observations in 2 or more risk groups and 38% in all 3. Youth accessed an EMI on average 162 times each week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants were 31% female, 48% African American, 21% Caucasian, 7% Hispanic, and 24% Mixed/Other; average age was 16.6 years. During the 90 days prior to entering treatment, youth reported using alcohol (38%), marijuana (41%), and other drugs (7%). When compared with the "Recognized Risk" group's use in the following week (31%), both the "Unrecognized Risk" (50%, odds ratio [OR]=2.08) and "Current Use" (96%, OR=50.30) groups reported significantly higher rates of use in the next week. When an EMI was accessed 2 or more times within the hour following an EMA, the rate of using during the next week was significantly lower than when EMIs were not accessed (32% vs. 43%, OR=0.62).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results demonstrate the feasibility of using smartphones for recovery monitoring and support with adolescents, with potential to reduce use.
authors.affiliation: a Chestnut Health Systems , Normal , Illinois , USA.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.affiliation: b Chestnut Health Systems , Chicago , Illinois , USA.
authors.forename: Christy K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: a Chestnut Health Systems , Normal , Illinois , USA.
authors.forename: Rodney R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.affiliation: b Chestnut Health Systems , Chicago , Illinois , USA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nicholson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000072860:Ecological Momentary Assessment; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063731:Mobile Applications; D010865:Pilot Projects; D000068997:Smartphone; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Adolescent; mobile phones; recovery management; smartphones; substance use disorders