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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

A Procedure to Study Stress-Induced Relapse of Heroin Seeking after Punishment-Imposed Abstinence
Published on: March 23, 2022
Randomized trial comparing two treatment strategies using prize-based reinforcement of abstinence in cocaine and
Kenzie L Preston1, Udi E Ghitza, John P Schmittner
1National Institute on Drug Abuse, USA.
Abstract:
We compared two strategies of prize-based contingency management (CM) in methadone-maintained outpatients. Urine was tested thrice weekly for 5 weeks pre-CM, 12 weeks CM, and 8 weeks post-CM. Participants were randomly assigned to a cocaine contingency (four prize draws for each cocaine-negative urine, N=29) or an opiate-cocaine contingency (one draw for each urine negative for opiates or cocaine, four draws if negative for both, N=38). There were no group differences in cocaine abstinence during CM or post-CM and no differences in opiate abstinence during CM. Opiate abstinence was greater in the opiate-cocaine group post-CM, and heroin craving was reduced in this group during and post-CM. Draws earned per cocaine-negative urine (four vs. one) did not affect cocaine use.
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