This randomized controlled trial (RCT) will evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of Pink Cloud, a mobile health application designed to support recovery from substance and alcohol use disorders (SUD/AUD). The app provides access to over 245,000 in-person and virtual 12-Step meetings, along with features such as a sobriety counter, daily planner, and personal inventory tools. In this study, 1,410 participants in various stages of recovery will be randomly assigned to receive either access to the Pink Cloud app or to a control condition. Participants will complete follow-up assessments at 1, 3, and 6 months. Primary outcomes include number of days sober and frequency of drug and alcohol problems. Secondary outcomes include meeting attendance, proportion of sober individuals in one's social network, and engagement in recovery-related activities. The investigators hypothesize that participants in the Pink Cloud group will report more days sober and fewer substance use problems than those in the control group, and that they will also report attending more meetings, having a greater proportion of sober peers, and engaging more frequently in recovery activities.
Participant is 18 years of age or older
Participant is willing to attend a 12-Step or peer-to-peer recovery meeting (in person or virtual) within the next week
Participant owns a personal smartphone with cellular service
Participant is a permanent resident of the United States
Participant is younger than 18 years of age
Participant is unwilling to attend a 12-Step or peer-to-peer recovery meeting (in person or virtual) within the next week
Participant does not own a personal smartphone with cellular service
Participant is not a permanent resident of the United States
Parallel
Pink Cloud
BehavioralParticipants randomized to the Pink Cloud condition will receive a subscription code to access the Pink Cloud mobile application for approximately 365 days. The app includes features such as a searchable database of over 245,000 12-Step meetings (in-person and virtual), a sobriety counter, customizable daily planners, personal inventory tools, and a resentment journal. Participants are encouraged to use the app as they see fit throughout the study period. No prompts or required usage schedules will be imposed; instead, engagement will be self-directed to reflect real-world usage patterns.
Active Control
BehavioralParticipants randomized to the control condition will receive a code to access recovery-related resources hosted on a private study website. These materials include links to mutual-help groups, crisis support services, and educational content and treatment options. Participants may access the website at their discretion and engage with the resources as often and in whatever ways they choose. No prompts or required usage schedules will be imposed.
Change in sobriety status between baseline and 1 month
Self-reported number of days participant reports not using alcohol or drugs in the past 30 days.
Change in sobriety status between baseline and 3 months
Self-reported number of days participant reports not using alcohol or drugs in the past 90 days.
Change in sobriety status between baseline and 6 months
Self-reported number of days participant reports not using alcohol or drugs in the past 180 days.
Change in alcohol and drug problems between baseline and 1 month
Self-reported frequency of alcohol and drugs problems in the past 30 days.
Change in meeting attendance between baseline and 1 month
Frequency of 12-Step / peer-to-peer meetings attended in the past 30 days.
Change in meeting attendance between baseline and 3 months
Frequency of 12-Step / peer-to-peer meetings attended in the past 90 days.
Change in meeting attendance between baseline and 6 months
Frequency of 12-Step / peer-to-peer meetings attended in the past 180 days.
Change in social network between baseline and 1 month
Proportion of social network that is sober in the past 30 days.
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