A new study that is published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics addresses the problem of cannabis use in young people and addresses a very difficult target, psychotic patients.
This study analyses the efficacy of a specific motivational intervention (MI) on young cannabis users suffering from psychosis. MI appears to be a useful active component to reduce cannabis use which should be integrated in routine clinical practice.
Cannabis use has a negative impact on psychosis. The aim of this study is to analyze the efficacy of a specific motivational intervention on young cannabis users suffering from psychosis. Participants (aged less than 35 years) were randomly assigned to treatment as usual (TAU) alone, or treatment as usual plus motivational intervention (MI + TAU).
TAU was comprehensive and included case management, early intervention and mobile team when needed. Assessments were completed at baseline and at 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up. Sixty-two participants (32 TAU and 30 MI + TAU) were included in the study.
Cannabis use decreased in both groups at follow-up. Participants who received MI in addition to TAU displayed both a greater reduction in number of joints smoked per week and greater confidence to change cannabis use at 3 and 6 months follow-up, but differences between groups were non significant at 12 months.
MI is well accepted by patients suffering from psychosis and has a short-term impact on cannabis use when added to standard care. However, the differential effect was not maintained at 1-year follow-up. MI appears to be a useful active component to reduce cannabis use which should be integrated in routine clinical practice.