# Development of a lifestyle physical activity intervention to reduce risk for perinatal cannabis use

> **NIH NIH R34** · BUTLER HOSPITAL (PROVIDENCE, RI) · 2022 · $144,469

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Rates of prenatal cannabis use (CU) have risen sharply in recent years, a serioius concern given associated
adverse maternal and infant outcomes. Motivation to change potentially unhealthy behaviors like CU is high
among many pregnant women. However, unfortunately, intervention approaches for this population are
currently lacking. In addition, many women experience mental health symptoms (anxiety, depression) and
uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms (nausea, physical discomfort) that pose challenges to abstaining from CU.
Thus, interventions that help pregnant women develop alternate coping strategies to cope with these
symptoms may have an important role in decreasing or preventing CU during pregnancy and longer term.
Given prior research demonstrating benefits of physical activity to potentiate long-term effects on
depression/anxiety and pregnancy symptoms, as well as acute effects on negative affect and cannabis
cravings, a lifestyle physical activity (LPA) intervention could be highly impactful. Our team’s R34 award
(R34DA055317-01A1; Battle) is the first study to examine whether an LPA intervention could represent a
feasible and acceptable strategy to help reduce cannabis use and cravings during pregnancy. The proposed
administrative supplement would allow our team to extend the impact of this R34 study by examining the
potential mechanisms of action of the LPA intervention. Our team proposes to use supplemental funding in
response to NOT-OD-22-140 to add an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol to the planned
clinical trial, which would be comprised of three 7-day bursts of daily EMA assessment to measure daily-level
physical activity, maternal affect, physical discomfort, as well as cannabis cravings and use. With this
additional data collection, which will include 30 participants in the pilot randomized trial, we will be able to more
fully evaluate the conceptual model on which the study intervention is based. Findings from the analysis of the
additional EMA data collected as part of this supplement will provide valuable information regarding the
relationship between women’s mental health and cannabis cravings -- and whether physical activity can help
reduce negative affect, physical discomforts and cannabis cravings. In addition, this supplemental data will
provide critical feasibility data regarding implementing an EMA with this population to inform future studies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10665268
- **Project number:** 3R34DA055317-01A1S1
- **Recipient organization:** BUTLER HOSPITAL (PROVIDENCE, RI)
- **Principal Investigator:** CYNTHIA L. BATTLE
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $144,469
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10665268

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10665268, Development of a lifestyle physical activity intervention to reduce risk for perinatal cannabis use (3R34DA055317-01A1S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10665268. Licensed CC0.

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