An interventional study of 1) Face-to-face, and 2) Computer-mediated motivational type interviews in Marijuana Use, sponsored by University of Texas, El Paso. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 29 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-04-25.
Sponsored by University of Texas, El Paso · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other
This study looks at whether in-person and computer-based motivational type interviews lead to the same kind of language and behavior change in young adults when they talk about their marijuana use. Researchers compared how much participants talked about wanting to change their level of marijuana use (change talk) or maintain their level of marijuana use (sustain talk) during each type of interview. Researchers investigated if change talk and sustain talk predicted who continued to use or not use marijuana. All participants completed:
This study investigated if face-to-face motivational-type interviews (FTF-MTIs) and computer-mediated MTIs elicit the same amount of "change talk" and behavior change when young adults discuss their ambivalence about using marijuana. 150 young adults participated in the study: 50 frequent marijuana users, 50 occasional marijuana users, and 50 non-marijuana users. All participants reported being at least moderately ambivalent about their current level of marijuana use. Participants were randomly assigned to complete a brief MTI using either the standard face-to-face format or a computer-mediated format. Amrhein's manual for assessing the presence of "change talk" and "sustain talk" was used to code the language produced by respondents in each interview format. Participants' level of marijuana use was assessed at a 2-month follow-up. We hypothesized the following:
517 studies on the registry are indexed under Marijuana Abuse; 114 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 150 is above the median of 60 across 421 interventional studies indexed under Marijuana Abuse.
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Exclusion Criteria:
The interviews conducted in this study were guided by 4 of the 5 major principles of MI. Specifically, the interviews (1) were nonjudgmental, (2) were empathic, (3) respected participants' autonomy, and (4) helped participants explore their ambivalence toward behavior change. However, unlike standard motivational interviews, the interviews in this study did not subtly guide participants toward reducing marijuana use. The interviews were not intended as a clinical intervention. The decision to omit the direction-oriented component of MI was guided by a single consideration: the national trend toward the legalization of recreational marijuana use. FTF MTIs were guided by a 4-page script that incorporated the main principles of MI, including reflective listening, expression of empathy, and a nonjudgmental conversational style. The script included an equal number of open-ended questions exploring the benefits and costs of using marijuana. FTF MTIs were conducted in a research office.
Behavioral: 1) Face-to-face, and 2) Computer-mediated motivational type interviews
Computer-mediated interviews were conducted using the identical 4-page script that guided the FTF MTIs. Computer-mediated MTIs were completed via computer, with the interviewer and participant located in adjacent rooms within the same research suite used for the FTF MTIs. However, the interviewer and interviewee never met in person. Upon arrival, a research assistant greeted participants, administered Time 1 assessments, and provided instructions for using the computer's instant messaging software to communicate during the motivational-type interview. LAN Instant Messenger software (version 1.2.35, Qualia Digital Solutions) was used to conduct computer-mediated interviews and computer-mediated MTIs were saved as text files.
Behavioral: 1) Face-to-face, and 2) Computer-mediated motivational type interviews
Frequency of marijuana use at two-month follow-up
During the past two months, how many times (if any) have you smoked or consumed marijuana?
Time frame: 2-month-follow-up
Plan to share: Undecided — The datasets generated or analyzed during this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. No individual raw data will be released that would compromise the anonymity or confidentiality of the participants.
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This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University of Texas, El Paso