Self-Regulation Program Added to Residential Treatment Reduced Cannabis and Meth Use | Research

The takeaway

A strength-based self-regulation program called Grit, added to standard residential substance treatment for young people, produced larger reductions in cannabis and methamphetamine use compared to standard treatment alone, with effects lasting 12 months.

Residential treatment program directors; substance use counselors; intervention researchers.

Grit group had larger cannabis and meth reductions sustained at 12 months

What the researchers found

Both groups improved on all outcomes at 3 months, maintained through 12 months. The Grit group showed significantly larger reductions in methamphetamine and cannabis use involvement compared to the control group receiving standard treatment only.

Why it matters

Residential treatment programs often struggle with sustained outcomes. Adding a targeted self-regulation component that reduced cannabis and methamphetamine use beyond standard treatment suggests a specific, replicable enhancement that programs could adopt.

The numbers in context

194 participants, 66% male, mean age 27.4. Grit program: 12 sessions over 6 weeks. Significant improvements in all outcomes (substance use, wellbeing, depression, anxiety, vocational engagement) at 3 months, maintained at 12 months. Grit group had larger reductions in cannabis and methamphetamine use.

How the study worked

Cohort-controlled trial of 194 young people (66% male, mean age 27.4) in a 6-week residential substance treatment program. The Grit group received standard treatment plus 12 sessions (twice weekly) focusing on self-regulation skills, strengths, social connections, and health behaviors. Follow-up at 6 weeks, 3, 6, and 12 months.

What this study cannot tell us

Not fully randomized (cohort-controlled). The residential setting provides a controlled environment that may not represent real-world conditions. Cannabis-specific effects were a secondary outcome. The study did not report standardized effect sizes for the group difference.

How to read the evidence

Moderate: controlled trial with 12-month follow-up, but not fully randomized and cannabis was a secondary outcome.

When this study was published

Published in 2022.

The bigger picture

The self-regulation focus aligns with neuroscience findings that substance use disorders involve impaired executive function. By explicitly building these skills, the Grit program may address a core deficit rather than just symptoms.

Questions still open

Would the Grit program be effective in outpatient settings? Which specific self-regulation skills drove the cannabis reduction? Could the program be adapted for adolescents?

Common questions

What is the Grit program?

Grit is a 12-session strengths-based program that builds self-regulation skills, identifies personal strengths, fosters social connections, and promotes healthy behaviors. It is designed to be added to existing residential treatment programs.

Does residential treatment work for cannabis use?

Both groups showed significant improvements in substance use at 3 months that lasted through 12 months. Adding the Grit program enhanced these improvements specifically for cannabis and methamphetamine use.

Read the original research

Controlled Trial Examining the Strength-Based Grit Wellbeing and Self-Regulation Program for Young People in Residential Settings for Substance Use.

International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(21)

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Quinn, Catherine A; Walter, Zoe C; de Andrade, Dominique; Dingle, Genevieve; Haslam, Catherine; Hides, Leanne. (2022). Controlled Trial Examining the Strength-Based Grit Wellbeing and Self-Regulation Program for Young People in Residential Settings for Substance Use.. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(21). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113835