Evaluating the Effectiveness of Implementation Intentions to Strengthen Approach-avoidance Training (IMBA)

January 9, 2026 updated by: Michaël RACODON, Clinique de la Mitterie

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Implementation Intentions to Strengthen Approach-avoidance Training : Pilot Study on Alcohol Use Disorder

Approach Bias Modifcation corresponds to computerized interventions designed to change a cognitive bias (i.e., the approach bias) that may contribute to the maintenance of Alcohol Use Disorder. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of a classical Approach Bias Modification program, an Approach Bias Modification program integrating a planning strategy (i.e., implementation intentions) and a Sham-training to decrease the approach bias (from pre to post-test), and Alcohol Use Disorder symptomatology (from baseline to follow-up). 112 patients will be recruited for this study.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The Approach Bias is considered to be a maintenance factor of Alcohol Use Disorder. It correspond to the relative ease to approach alcohol rather than to avoid it. Approach Bias Modifcation correspond to computerized interventiond designed to change it by training participants to emit avoidance response (e.g., pull the joystick away) toward alcohol stimuli (e.g., alcohol pictures). Those programs have shown their effectiveness to promote abstinence among Alcohol Use Disorder patients. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of a classical Approach Bias Modification program to the one of a similar program integrating a planning add-on strategy named implementation intentions and to a Sham-training. 112 patients will be recruited for this study at Clinic de la Mitterie rehab center. During their hospitalization, participants will have to complete: a baseline that assess Alcohol Use Disorder symptomatology (i.e., alcohol consumption, alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related consequences) and other alcohol-related variables (e.g., motivation and self-efficacy), a pre-test that assess the approach bias, 6 sessions of one of the three experimental interventions {classical Approach Bias Modification, Approach Bias Modification with Implementation Intentions, Sham-training}, and a post-test that reassess the approach bias. After their hospitalization, they will have to complete a 2, 4 and 6-month online follow-up that reasses Alcohol Use Disorder symptomatology. It is expect that the Approach Bias Modification program with implementation intentions will decrease the approach bias and Alcohol Use Disorder symptomatology more than the classical program, that will also decrease it more than the Sham-training.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
112

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • France
      • Lille, France, 59160
        • Recruiting
        • Clinique la Mitterie
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Nicolas KACZMAREK, Ph.D

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • care at the clinic for Alcohol Use Disorder,
  • have an e-mail address,
  • written and spoken French,
  • signing informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • not currently remissioned for the Alcohol Use Disorder,
  • no other Substance Use Disorder (except tobaco one)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Classical Approach Bias Modification
The 3 arms will follow a similar procedure, except that they will receive 3 different experimental interventions, dependly on their conditions.
Behavioral: Approach Bias Modification with Implementation Intentions
Participants in each experimental condition will perform different variants of the Approach-Avoidance Task (i.e., a task that is widely used in the litterature to assess and modify the approach bias toward alcohol - the relative ease to approach alcohol rather than to avoid it). Participants in the classical Approach Bias Modification conditions will perform a version of this task which will train them to (almost-)systematically emit an avoidance response toward alcohol ; Participants in the Approach Bias Modification with Implementation Intentions condition will perform the same version of the task but will additionnaly have to complete a planning intervention (i.e., implementation intentions) to help them avoiding alcohol; Participants in the Sham-training condition will perform a version of this task which require them to approach alcohol as often as they have to avoid it (i.e., no real training).
Other Names:
  • Classical Approach Bias Modification
Experimental: Approach Bias Modification with Implementation Intentions
The 3 arms will follow a similar procedure, except that they will receive 3 different experimental interventions, dependly on their conditions.
Behavioral: Approach Bias Modification with Implementation Intentions
Participants in each experimental condition will perform different variants of the Approach-Avoidance Task (i.e., a task that is widely used in the litterature to assess and modify the approach bias toward alcohol - the relative ease to approach alcohol rather than to avoid it). Participants in the classical Approach Bias Modification conditions will perform a version of this task which will train them to (almost-)systematically emit an avoidance response toward alcohol ; Participants in the Approach Bias Modification with Implementation Intentions condition will perform the same version of the task but will additionnaly have to complete a planning intervention (i.e., implementation intentions) to help them avoiding alcohol; Participants in the Sham-training condition will perform a version of this task which require them to approach alcohol as often as they have to avoid it (i.e., no real training).
Other Names:
  • Classical Approach Bias Modification
Placebo Comparator: Sham-training
The 3 arms will follow a similar procedure, except that they will receive 3 different experimental interventions, dependly on their conditions.
Behavioral: Approach Bias Modification with Implementation Intentions
Participants in each experimental condition will perform different variants of the Approach-Avoidance Task (i.e., a task that is widely used in the litterature to assess and modify the approach bias toward alcohol - the relative ease to approach alcohol rather than to avoid it). Participants in the classical Approach Bias Modification conditions will perform a version of this task which will train them to (almost-)systematically emit an avoidance response toward alcohol ; Participants in the Approach Bias Modification with Implementation Intentions condition will perform the same version of the task but will additionnaly have to complete a planning intervention (i.e., implementation intentions) to help them avoiding alcohol; Participants in the Sham-training condition will perform a version of this task which require them to approach alcohol as often as they have to avoid it (i.e., no real training).
Other Names:
  • Classical Approach Bias Modification

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Approach-Avoidance Task (AAT)
Time Frame: 2 weeks
The approach bias toward alcohol
2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Alcohol consumption
Time Frame: 2 weeks
The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT)
2 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Alcohol dependence
Time Frame: 2 weeks
The Short Alcohol Dependence Data questionnaire (SAAD)
2 weeks
Alcohol-related consequences
Time Frame: 2 weeks
The Short Inventory of Problems - Revised (SIP-R)
2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Clinique de la Mitterie

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 2, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 1, 2022

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 2, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 26, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 9, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 18, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 9, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2020-A02415-34

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

  1. sign an informed consent and to complete a baseline that assess the secondary outcomes measures as well as other alcohol-related measures (e.g., motivation and self-efficacy to change alcohol consumption).
  2. complete a pre-test that asssess the primary outcome measure (i.e., the approach bias).
  3. receive 6 session of their respective experimental intervention
  4. complete a post-test to reassess the primary outcome measure (i.e., the approach bias).

Follow-up Phase. After participants hospitalization, participants will have to complete a 2, 4, and 6-month online follow-up that reassess the secondary outcome measures (i.e., alcohol consumption, alcohol dependence, and alcohol-related-consequences).

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings