Exploration of implicit biases in adults who are current cocaine users

12-nov-2020: This trial is discontinued.

This research is the first online study targeting cocaine use in South Africa and involving all race groups. Cocaine use is extremely prevalent in urban milieux in South Africa.

1. A decrease in cocaine use over a three month period in participants who receive AAT training as opposed to VPT training.

2. A change in symptoms involving craving, the urge to use, withdrawals well as stated readiness to change in participants receiving either AAT or VPT training as opposed to the participants in the placebo group.

3. A correlation between a decrease in cocaine use and the use of CBT coping skills as opposed to meditation-based coping skills.

4. No relationship between Race (Black, White, Mixed race or Colored, Indian) and an outcome defined as reduced cocaine use.

Intake, six weeks post-treatment; three months post-treatment.

The participants are assessed at intake to determine their level of attentional bias (AB) and approach bias (AAT) to pictorially presented cocaine-related stimuli. Thereafter, they undergo a six-week training component in either attentional bias modification or approach bias modification. They are re-assessed at six weeks and three months post-treatment.