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Rewards and adolescent health behavior
Summary
Contingent rewards effectively initiate adolescent health habits like fluoride rinsing, but the behavior often stops when rewards cease. Long-term continuation requires more than partial rewards or self-management training.
Area of Science:
- Health Psychology
- Adolescent Health Behaviors
- Preventive Health
Background:
- Contingent rewards can enhance student adoption of new health activities.
- Adolescent health behaviors require effective strategies for long-term adherence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of contingent rewards in establishing adolescent fluoride rinse habits.
- To compare the impact of saturated versus partial reward schedules on habit continuation.
- To assess the efficacy of self-management instruction as a follow-up to reward withdrawal.
Main Methods:
- Adolescents participated in a fluoride rinse program over two school years.
- Different reward schedules (saturated vs. partial) were implemented.
- Self-management instruction was introduced to a subset of participants.
Main Results:
- Habits initiated by contingent rewards tended to cease upon reward withdrawal.
- Partial reward schedules showed less immediate attrition but similar long-term effects to saturated schedules.
- Higher participation was observed in girls and urban students.
- Self-management instruction showed temporary success in urban students but decreased adherence in suburban students.
Conclusions:
- Contingent rewards are effective for initiating adolescent health habits but not sufficient for long-term continuation.
- Neither partial reward schedules nor self-management instruction alone ensures sustained behavior change.
- Health psychologists and public health professionals need to develop more robust strategies for long-term habit maintenance.