Alcohol Use DisorderHOMENCT06302413
Enhancing Prospective Thinking in Early Recovery (HOME)
A study testing Virtual Reality in people with Alcohol Use Disorder, run by Indiana University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to use a novel virtual reality intervention to test for efficacy in reducing alcohol use and increasing abstinence, with concomitant increases in future self-identification, future time perspective, and delay-of-reward, in early recovering alcohol use disorder (AUD) persons. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Alcohol Use Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Virtual Reality
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 500 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 15 Feb 2024to 31 Jul 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Abstinence between ≥14 days and ≤1 year
- Verbal endorsement of commitment to recovery
- Outpatient
- Psychotropic drugs for SUD-comorbidity
- Drug/alcohol abstinence ≥ 24 hours at the time of the study day visit
- English comprehension
Who cannot join
- Unstable medical disorders
- Habitual drug use
- Mu-opioid drugs
- Smell/taste disorders
- Unstable psychiatric conditions
- Extravagant/elaborate face tattoos
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Indiana University School of Medicine - Goodman Hal
Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202
Sarah Turo, BA, 317-963-7220, sturo@iu.edu
Brandon G Oberlin, PhD
About this study
Official title: Enhancing Prospective Thinking in Early Recovery
The goal of this clinical trial is to use a novel virtual reality intervention to test for efficacy in reducing alcohol use and increasing abstinence, with concomitant increases in future self-identification, future time perspective, and delay-of-reward, in early recovering alcohol use disorder (AUD) persons. The main question[s] this trial aims to answer are:
Will the Virtual Reality (VR) intervention decrease the number of stimulant use days? Will the VR intervention produce longer abstinence periods during follow-up visits? Will the VR intervention increase alcohol abstinence rates? Will the VR intervention increase future self-identification? Will the VR intervention increase self-reported future time perspective? Will the VR intervention increase preference for delayed rewards in a laboratory delay discounting task on the study day? Will the VR intervention produce gains in the behavioral effects of future self-identification, future time perspective, and delayed rewards at the 30-day and 6-month follow-ups? Researchers will compare the experimental and control groups to see if there are differences in the results for the questions outlined above.
- Conditions
- Alcohol Use Disorder
- Being tested
- Virtual Reality
- Medical subject headings
- Alcoholism
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Virtual RealityDevice
They will receive a Virtual Reality Park experience, which is an empty park with no avatars. They will then have a Virtual Reality Avatar experience, where they will see an avatar resembling themselves in a park setting.
Virtual RealityDevice
They will receive a Virtual Reality Park experience, which is an empty park with no avatars.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Reality | Experimental | Participants in this arm will receive the following interventions:
Virtual Reality Park Virtual Reality Avatar Receives: Device: Virtual Reality |
| Treatment As Usual | Placebo comparator | Participants in this arm will receive the following interventions:
Virtual Reality Park Receives: Device: Virtual Reality |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Reduced Use of Drug Using Days
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will reduce drug using days.
Measured: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit
Increased Length of Abstinence
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase the length of abstinence periods.
Measured: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit.
Increased (overall) Abstinence
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase abstinence.
Measured: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit.
Future Self-identification with Future Self Continuity Questionnaire
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase future self-identification.
Measured: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit
Future Time Perspective with the Delayed Discounting Behavioral Task and Future Self Continuity Questionnaire
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase future time perspective.
Measured: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit.
Delayed Reward Preference with the Delayed Discounting Behavioral Task
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase preference for delayed rewards.
Measured: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted8 Mar 2024
- Study start15 Feb 2024
- Primary completion31 Jul 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Jul 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Alcohol Use DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Indiana UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 500 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Indiana University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Brandon G. Oberlin, PhD, Indiana University
- Investigators
- Brandon G Oberlin, PhD, Principal investigator, Indiana University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06302413
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1805574553; Aims 9-10
- Other IDs
- 1R01AA029396-01
- Acronym
- HOME
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 21 Feb 2024
- Last updated
- 4 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Pre-determined participant IPD will be shared in accordance with the National Institutes of Health National Data Archive requirements and upon the consent of the study participant.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Enhancing Prospective Thinking in Early Recovery
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06302413
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HOME / 1805574553; Aims 9-10
- Conditions
- Alcohol Use Disorder
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 500 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Indiana UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Study start
- 15 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Jul 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Jul 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 8 Mar 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to use a novel virtual reality intervention to test for efficacy in reducing alcohol use and increasing abstinence, with concomitant increases in future self-identification, future time perspective, and delay-of-reward, in early recovering alcohol use disorder (AUD) persons. The main question[s] this trial aims to answer are:
Will the Virtual Reality (VR) intervention decrease the number of stimulant use days? Will the VR intervention produce longer abstinence periods during follow-up visits? Will the VR intervention increase alcohol abstinence rates? Will the VR intervention increase future self-identification? Will the VR intervention increase self-reported future time perspective? Will the VR intervention increase preference for delayed rewards in a laboratory delay discounting task on the study day? Will the VR intervention produce gains in the behavioral effects of future self-identification, future time perspective, and delayed rewards at the 30-day and 6-month follow-ups? Researchers will compare the experimental and control groups to see if there are differences in the results for the questions outlined above.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Reality | Experimental | Device: Virtual RealityParticipants in this arm will receive the following interventions: Virtual Reality Park Virtual Reality Avatar |
| Treatment As Usual | Placebo comparator | Device: Virtual RealityParticipants in this arm will receive the following interventions: Virtual Reality Park |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Abstinence between ≥14 days and ≤1 year
- Verbal endorsement of commitment to recovery
- Outpatient
- Psychotropic drugs for SUD-comorbidity
- Drug/alcohol abstinence ≥ 24 hours at the time of the study day visit
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Unstable medical disorders
- Habitual drug use
- Mu-opioid drugs
- Smell/taste disorders
- Unstable psychiatric conditions
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual RealityThey will receive a Virtual Reality Park experience, which is an empty park with no avatars. They will then have a Virtual Reality Avatar experience, where they will see an avatar resembling themselves in a park setting. | Device | Virtual Reality |
| Virtual RealityThey will receive a Virtual Reality Park experience, which is an empty park with no avatars. | Device | Treatment As Usual |
Primary outcome
Reduced Use of Drug Using Days
Time frame: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will reduce drug using days.
Increased Length of Abstinence
Time frame: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit.
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase the length of abstinence periods.
Increased (overall) Abstinence
Time frame: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit.
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase abstinence.
Future Self-identification with Future Self Continuity Questionnaire
Time frame: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase future self-identification.
Future Time Perspective with the Delayed Discounting Behavioral Task and Future Self Continuity Questionnaire
Time frame: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit.
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase future time perspective.
Delayed Reward Preference with the Delayed Discounting Behavioral Task
Time frame: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit.
The Virtual Reality Avatar experience will increase preference for delayed rewards.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Pre-determined participant IPD will be shared in accordance with the National Institutes of Health National Data Archive requirements and upon the consent of the study participant.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Brandon G Oberlin, PhD principal investigator
Indiana University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Virtual Reality in people with Alcohol Use Disorder, run by Indiana University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Sarah Turo, BA (317-963-7220, sturo@iu.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Reduced Use of Drug Using Days (time frame: Day 2-Study Day Visit; 30-day Follow-up Visit; 6-month Follow-up Visit). The study lists 6 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 May 2026.