Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for HIV-Negative Heterosexual Meth Users: The FASTLANE II Intervention

•We describe a behavior change intervention for HIV-negative meth-using heterosexuals•The intervention simultaneously targets depressive symptoms, meth use, and sexual risk behavior•The intervention was based on cognitive behavioral therapy•Counseling strategies included techniques that aim to restructure cognitions to become more functional

The purpose of this paper is to provide clinicians with a theoretical roadmap and practical toolkit for the FASTLANE II intervention, a 9-session behavior change intervention for HIV-negative meth-using heterosexual men and women that simultaneously targets depressive symptoms, meth use, and sexual risk behavior. The intervention was grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), social cognitive theory (SCT), and the theory of reasoned action (TRA), and utilized a variety of cognitive and behavioral techniques. Examples of those techniques are provided, as well how those techniques map onto core theoretical elements of CBT, SCT, and TRA. We present three case studies with sample counseling session dialogue. Techniques and skills from FASTLANE II may be of use to clinicians interested in targeting depression, meth use, and high-risk sexual behavior.