We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.
A Pilot Study to Examine the Feasibility and Potential Effectiveness of Using Smartphones to Provide Recovery Support for Adolescents
Michael L. Dennis , Christy K. Scott , Rodney R. Funk , Lisa Nicholson
Substance Abuse
Vol. 36, Iss. 4, 2015
Adolescents in residential treatment have low rates of completing treatment, accessing continuing care, and sustaining their recovery during the months after discharge. Dennis, Scott, Funk & Nicholson (this issue) demonstrate the feasibility of using smartphone technology to provide adolescents with recovery monitoring and support services following treatment. They showed that the 2-3 minute surveys can reliably be used to predict the risk of substance use in the subsequent 7 days and that the use of support services on the phone was associated with reduction in use overall and after controlling for likelihood of use. While just a pilot study, this work suggest the potential value of using technology to help youth sustain recovery and reduce relapse. To the extent that substance use disorders are a chronic condition, it also helps to establish the value of providing youth with self-management tools.