Related Experiment Videos
Contingency contracting with monetary reinforcers for abstinence from multiple drugs in a methadone program
N A Piotrowski1, D J Tusel, K L Sees
1Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA. npiotrowski@arg.org
Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology
|December 28, 1999
Summary
Monetary incentives for opioid-dependent patients in methadone transition treatment (MTT) improved abstinence from other drugs. These positive effects on sobriety were observed during the contract period but not long-term.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Behavioral Psychology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Opioid dependence often co-occurs with other substance use disorders, complicating treatment.
- Methadone transition treatment (MTT) is a common approach for managing opioid dependence.
- Effective adjunct therapies are needed to improve abstinence rates in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of positive monetary contingencies in promoting abstinence from multiple drugs of abuse.
- To evaluate the impact of contingency contracts on patients undergoing methadone transition treatment (MTT).
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 102 participants in a 6-month MTT program.
- Participants were assigned to either MTT with monetary contingency contracts or MTT alone.
- Abstinence was monitored via random urinalysis and breathalyzer tests.
Main Results:
- The group receiving monetary contingencies demonstrated significantly longer periods of continuous abstinence (p<.005).
- Contingency contracting led to a higher proportion of drug-free tests overall (p<.04).
- These positive outcomes were confined to the duration of the contracting period.
Conclusions:
- Monetary reinforcement through contingency contracts can be an effective adjunctive strategy for achieving abstinence from multiple substances during MTT.
- The benefits of contingency contracting appear to be time-limited to the intervention period.
- Further research may explore sustained or adapted contingency models for long-term sobriety.