An adapted brief negotiation interview for alcohol and cannabis use among assault-injured emerging adults: A randomized pilot trial protocol

Emerging adults are disproportionately at risk for substance misuse and assault injury. Assault-injured emerging adults with substance misuse have increased risk of morbidity and mortality compared to those without and often receive care in the Emergency Department (ED). This manuscript describes the development of a protocol for a pilot randomized trial of an adapted brief behavioral intervention, the Brief Negotiation Interview (BNI), for use among assault-injured emerging adults with alcohol and/or cannabis misuse presenting to the ED. First, we will perform a mixed methods study of assault-injured emerging adults with alcohol and/or cannabis misuse to elicit the shared psychosocial risk factors that contribute to both alcohol and/or cannabis misuse in the context of assault injury. We will then use these data to adapt the BNI for use among assault-injured emerging adults with alcohol and/or cannabis misuse. We will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the adapted BNI in a randomized trial in the ED setting (N = 50). This pilot study is a critical initial step in developing an effective brief behavioral intervention for reducing alcohol and cannabis use among assault-injured emerging adults. Trial Registration Number NCT07070414.