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Published on: January 7, 2019
Assessment of the relative reinforcement value of smoking and drinking using a multiple-choice measurement strategy
Joy A Schmitz1, Shelly L Sayre, Patricia S Hokanson
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, U.T. Mental Sciences Institute, University of Texas Medical School, Houston TX 77030, USA. joy.m.schmitz@uth.tmc.edu
Abstract:
To examine the relative reinforcement value of smoking and drinking, separately and in combination, a multiple-choice questionnaire was administered to 78 individuals seeking outpatient treatment for concurrent tobacco and alcohol dependence. Participants made choices between pairs of substances and then between each substance and a series of monetary values. Results demonstrated that the combination (one cigarette and one drink) was preferred over each individual substance. The mean crossover monetary points for a cigarette (8.1 US dollars) and a drink (10.8 US dollars) were significantly lower than for the combination (13.75 US dollars). Correlational analyses revealed positive associations between drug reinforcement values and dependence-related measures. The utility of this measurement strategy in understanding and treating polydrug use is discussed.
