Currently submitted to: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Apr 28, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Apr 29, 2026 - Jun 24, 2026
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy–Based Digital Interventions for Illicit Substance Use Disorders: A Scoping Review of Intervention Design, Efficacy Indicators, and Methodological Gaps
ABSTRACT
Background:
Illicit substance use poses severe global burdens. Digital interventions utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy offer accessible treatment alternatives, but evidence regarding their design and effectiveness remains fragmented.
Objective:
This review synthesized current evidence on cognitive behavioral therapy based digital interventions for illicit substance use disorders, focusing on theoretical frameworks, efficacy indicators, and methodological limitations.
Methods:
Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO for studies published up to February 16, 2026. Eligible studies were empirical trials of digital interventions using cognitive behavioral therapy for illicit substance use disorders. Studies focusing solely on alcohol or nicotine were excluded.
Results:
A total of 30 studies were included. Interventions targeted polysubstance, cannabis, stimulant, and sedative use. Programs were mainly web- or app-based, often combined with motivational interviewing, contingency management, or mindfulness approaches. Core components were therapeutic modules, self-tracking, rewards, and feedback. While primary outcomes often demonstrated substance use reduction, interpretation was hindered by prevalent reliance on self-reported data, inconsistent baseline controls, and the use of bundled multicomponent packages.
Conclusions:
Digital interventions based on cognitive behavioral therapy show potential to reduce illicit substance use and support psychosocial recovery. To advance clinical utility, future research must implement substance-specific designs, integrate objective outcome measures, and adopt modular trial designs to isolate active therapeutic mechanisms.
Citation
Request queued. Please wait while the file is being generated. It may take some time.
Copyright
© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.