Tailored psychotherapy and AI-enhanced contingency management for co-occurring disorders in cannabis use disorder: a systematic review.

In 30 seconds

This systematic review assessed tailored interventions for cannabis use disorder (CUD) with depression, PTSD, anxiety, or ADHD, alongside emerging AI applications in contingency management (CM). Searches identified 38 studies. Integrated cognitive-behavioral therapies were associated with improved psychiatric symptoms and reduced cannabis use, particularly among people with depression or PTSD. Pharmacotherapy findings were inconsistent, while ADHD-focused behavioral and stimulant-based approaches appeared promising. AI-supported relapse prediction, remote CM, and incentive optimisation were reported to improve attendance, abstinence verification, and reward efficiency.

Key findings

• The review included 38 studies of interventions for CUD with co-occurring disorders and AI-driven contingency management.
• Integrated cognitive-behavioral therapies improved psychiatric symptoms and reduced cannabis use, particularly in depression and PTSD.
• Pharmacotherapies showed inconsistent benefits; ADHD-focused behavioral and stimulant-based approaches showed promising reductions in cannabis use.
• AI applications were reported to improve attendance, abstinence verification, and reward efficiency.

Why it matters

CUD often occurs alongside psychiatric disorders, and the review suggests that addressing both may improve symptoms and cannabis-use outcomes. Its findings also highlight potential ways technology could support contingency management through relapse-risk prediction and more adaptive incentives. Together, these approaches offer a rationale for integrated, personalised care, although the evidence described does not establish comparative effectiveness across interventions.

What to keep in mind

The abstract does not report study-level sample sizes, effect estimates, or a quantitative synthesis, limiting assessment of the magnitude and consistency of benefits.