A randomized trial of long-term reinforcement of cocaine abstinence in methadone-maintained patients who inject drugs

Kenneth Silverman, Elias Robles, Timothy Mudric, George E. Bigelow, Maxine L. Stitzer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

74 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study determined whether long-term abstinence reinforcement could maintain cocaine abstinence throughout a yearlong period. Patients who injected drugs and used cocaine during methadone treatment (n = 78) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 abstinence-reinforcement groups or to a usual care control group. Participants in the 2 abstinence-reinforcement groups could earn take-home methadone doses for providing opiate- and cocaine-free urine samples; participants in 1 of those groups also could earn $5,800 in vouchers for providing cocaine-free urine samples over 52 weeks. Both abstinence- reinforcement interventions increased cocaine abstinence, but the addition of the voucher intervention resulted in the largest and most sustained abstinence. Therefore, voucher-based reinforcement of cocaine abstinence in methadone patients can be a highly effective maintenance intervention.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)839-854
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
Volume72
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2004

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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