RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Real-time eCounselling for Nicotine Addiction

This research is looking at a new way to help people quit smoking or vaping. It involves trying out an online counselling program that connects you with a counsellor in real-time, like during a video call. The main goal is to see if this program can help people stop using nicotine, use less nicotine, or feel more ready to quit. Researchers also want to understand if it's practical to run this type of program on a larger scale in the future. They will compare people who receive this counselling with those who don't, to understand its effects. This is an early study, helping to decide if further, larger studies are worthwhile.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Overcome

Enrolment target

Start

08 Jul 2024

Estimated completion

30 Jan 2025

Nicotine Use Disorder

What is this study about?

This study is trying out a new online approach to help people who want to stop using nicotine, whether that's from smoking cigarettes or vaping. It's called "eCounselling" and it means you would talk to a counsellor online in real time, like a video chat. This type of counselling combines two helpful talking therapies: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI). CBT helps you understand how your thoughts and feelings affect your habits, while MI helps you find your own reasons and motivation for making changes.

The main questions this study wants to answer are: Can this online program help people successfully quit nicotine? Can it help people reduce how much nicotine they use? And can it make people feel more prepared and motivated to quit? The study also wants to see if this online program is practical and easy enough to set up for a much larger study later on. By comparing the experiences of people who get the counselling with those who don't, the researchers hope to learn how effective this new approach might be.

Ultimately, this research aims to find better and more accessible ways to support people in quitting nicotine, which can have significant long-term health benefits. It's a stepping stone to understanding if this online support could become a widely available tool to help more people achieve their goal of becoming nicotine-free.

Key takeaways

This study tests online counselling to help people quit smoking or vaping.
It uses a combination of CBT and Motivational Interviewing.
The goal is to see if it helps reduce nicotine use or quit altogether.
You'll either get 6 weekly online counselling sessions or be in a comparison group.
No medication is involved; it's a talking therapy approach.
Participation helps future improvements in quitting support.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be an adult between 18 and 65 years old. You should be smoking at least 5 cigarettes a day, or regularly using a vape product that contains nicotine. It's important that you genuinely want to stop using nicotine and are willing to decide on a specific date to try and quit.

There are some reasons why you wouldn't be able to join. For example, if you're already in another program that helps with behaviour change, or if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to get pregnant. You also can't take part if you're currently struggling with alcohol or drug problems, or if you have certain medical conditions that affect your thinking or mood significantly. The research team will ask you some questions to check if you're suitable.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 18 and 65 years old?
Do you smoke at least 5 cigarettes daily or regularly vape nicotine?
Do you want to stop using nicotine?
Are you willing to set a 'quit date'?
Are you NOT pregnant or breastfeeding?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you join this study, your involvement would last for several weeks. After you've been assessed to make sure you're suitable and have given your permission to take part, you'll be randomly put into one of two groups, like flipping a coin. You won't get to choose which group you're in.

If you're in the 'active' group, you'll have six weekly online counselling sessions. Each session will last about 45 to 60 minutes and will be with a counsellor in real-time. If you're in the 'control' group, you won't receive the counselling during the study period; you'll only go through the initial screening and assessment. Everyone in the study will have some assessments before the counselling starts and again after the counselling period to see if there have been any changes in their nicotine use or their thoughts about quitting. There are no medications involved in this study.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study may offer you the benefit of receiving professional online counselling that could help you quit or reduce your nicotine use. Even if you are in the control group, by participating, you contribute to understanding better ways to help others. There are very few direct risks; however, discussing quitting can sometimes be challenging or bring up difficult feelings. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Key contact
Verified postcode
Leicester, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'eCounselling'?

It's counselling delivered online, often through video calls, so you can talk to a counsellor remotely.

What kind of therapy is used in the counselling?

It uses a mix of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), which are talking therapies designed to help you change habits and build motivation.

Will I have to pay to join the study?

No, participating in this research study, including the counselling, is free of charge.

What if I'm in the group that doesn't get counselling?

If you're in the control group, you won't receive the counselling during the study, but your information will still help researchers understand the counselling's effects. Sometimes, control groups are offered the intervention later.

How long will the study last for me?

If you receive counselling, you'll have six weekly sessions. There will also be some assessments before and after this period. The overall time commitment will be explained in detail if you are interested.

How to find out more

Helen Hayward, BSc

operations_manager@overcome.org.uk 447423967654 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.