Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40866918›Full record

Trial reportBMC public health2025

Groups for belonging: a parallel cluster randomized controlled trial of a group-based loneliness intervention for people attending treatment for alcohol and other drug use.

Isabella Ingram, Genevieve Dingle, Briony Larance, Amanda L Baker, Frank P Deane, Laura D Robinson, Alison K Beck, Lucy Leigh, Ava Kontogiannis, Elle P Coleman and 12 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

22 authors.

Isabella IngramSchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia. ingram@uow.edu.au.
Genevieve DingleSchool of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Briony LaranceSchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Amanda L BakerNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Frank P DeaneSchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Laura D RobinsonSchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Alison K BeckSchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Lucy LeighData Sciences Unit, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
Ava KontogiannisSchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Elle P ColemanSchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Tayla J DeganSchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Bethany NixonSchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Robert StirlingNetwork of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Suzie HudsonNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Leanne HidesSchool of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Scott DrummondVictorian Alcohol and Drug Association, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Danielle BreezeKedesh Rehabilitation Services, Berkeley, NSW, Australia.
Adrian WebberAlcohol & Other Drugs and Mental Health, Uniting Care, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Kevin StreetNetwork of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Anthea BillHealth Research Economics, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
Emily MatthewsSchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Peter J KellySchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council NHMRC 2023/GNT2024872
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeople accessing alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment experience high rates of loneliness, which is a strong driver of substance use. Groups for Belonging is a 6-session group-based intervention that combines elements of the social identity informed intervention Groups for Health with psychoeducation and strategies to help participants manage loneliness and overcome cognitive barriers to social connection. The project will examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of delivering Groups for Belonging within routine care offered by AOD treatment providers in Australia.

methodsParticipants will be adults attending residential or community-based AOD treatment provided by either public sector or non-government treatment providers across New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), Queensland (QLD) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in Australia. The study will be conducted as a parallel cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT), involving 26 clusters (13 treatment, 13 control, N = 520), with randomization occurring at the service level. Depending on randomization, participants will either complete treatment as usual (i.e., AOD treatment provided by participating services) or Groups for Belonging and treatment as usual. DISCUSSION: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of a loneliness intervention, Groups for Belonging, for people accessing residential and community-based treatment for AOD use. If the intervention is effective and cost-effective, implementation efforts will focus on embedding the intervention into routine care in AOD treatment services across metropolitan and regional areas in Australia. This has significant potential to decrease loneliness and its associated effects on health and wellbeing for people accessing AOD treatment.

trial registrationAustralia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, CTRN12625000132448 ( https://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12625000132448.aspx ). Registered on 6 February 2025.

Indexed as

LonelinessPsychotherapy, GroupSubstance-Related DisordersAdultAustraliaCost-Benefit AnalysisFemaleHumansMaleRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicBelongingExperienceInterventionLonelinessRandomized controlled trialSatisfactionSubstance use

Identifiers

PMID40866918
PMCPMC12382004

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.