Decreased substance use following increases in alternative behaviors: a preliminary investigation

Research derived from behavioral economic theories has demonstrated reciprocal links between substance use and engagement in substance-free activities. The current study used an experimental manipulation to further investigate the relationship between substance use and substance-free behaviors in a nonclinical sample of 133 young adults. Participants completed surveys on substance use and engagement in specific substance-free behaviors (exercise and creative behaviors) on two occasions separated by a 28-day interval. During the 4 weeks separating assessments, the 105 participants who reported recent substance use were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions with corresponding behavioral instructions: substance use reduction (SR), activity increase (AI), and a no-change control. Participants assigned to both the SR and AI conditions reported a significant decrease in their substance use behavior. These results are consistent with previous studies in demonstrating that decreases in substance use can be achieved by increasing engagement in substance-free behaviors.