Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of low-magnitude behavioral incentives in improving attendance for abstinence-treated patients and sustaining illicit-drug abstinence for methadone-treated patients. Subjects were randomly assigned to either incentive or control conditions, with target behaviors differing for the two patient groups (attendance for abstinence-treated and abstinence for methadone-treated patients). Controls received no incentives, whereas incentive subjects could earn $5/day in vouchers during the first 7 days of an intensive outpatient treatment. Results showed that $5/day did not significantly improve attendance in abstinence-treated patients or impact drug abstinence in methadone-treated patients. The data suggest that low-magnitude voucher incentives enhanced treatment attendance by methadone-treated subjects. Although modest monetary incentives had some utility in improving attendance in methadone-treated patients, more potent interventions are needed to improve attendance and maintain abstinence in this high-risk population. Copyright (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 263-267 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Addictive Behaviors |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 1 2000 |
Keywords
- Drug abuse
- Methadone
- Pregnancy
- Voucher incentives
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Clinical Psychology
- Toxicology
- Psychiatry and Mental health