Evaluating training methods for transporting contingency management to therapists

Area of Science:

• Addiction treatment
• Adolescent psychology
• Evidence-based practice implementation

Background:

• Contingency management (CM) is an effective intervention for adolescent substance abuse.
• Implementation of evidence-based practices like CM in community settings faces challenges.
• Therapist training and support are crucial for successful adoption of new interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of three training methods on therapist use, knowledge, and adherence to CM.
• To assess the effectiveness of increasing training intensity on CM implementation.
• To determine if community-based therapists adopt evidence-based treatments with adequate resources.

Main Methods:

• Ten organizations were randomized into three training groups: workshop and resources (WS+), WS+ and computer-assisted training (WS+/CAT), or WS+/CAT and supervisory support (WS+/CAT/SS).
• 161 therapists participated, with measures collected at baseline and every 2 months for 12 months.
• Training focused on contingency management (CM) for adolescents with substance abuse.

Main Results:

• Therapists across all training conditions showed increased CM use, knowledge, and implementation adherence over 12 months.
• Even the basic workshop and resources (WS+) condition led to significant improvements.
• Increased training intensity (WS+/CAT, WS+/CAT/SS) did not show statistically significant additional benefits over WS+ in this study.

Conclusions:

• Community-based therapists are receptive to adopting evidence-based treatments like CM when provided with resources and training.
• High-quality workshops combined with resource access can effectively increase knowledge and adherence to CM.
• These findings suggest that accessible training can enhance intervention fidelity, potentially improving outcomes for youth with substance abuse.