Rewards and adolescent health behavior.
Research has indicated that contingent rewards can increase students' acceptance of novel preventive health activities. In the current research on adolescents' use of a fluoride rinse over two school years, however, the rinse habit tended to end when reward contingencies were withdrawn. Although participation in the rinse program was higher with a saturated schedule of reward contingencies in effect, the comparison partial schedule of rewards showed less immediate attrition when the reward contingencies were withdrawn. As a result, the long-term effects of the two schedules were largely equivalent. Other major findings included higher participation levels for girls compared to boys and for urban compared to suburban students. Self-management instruction, a strategy intended to compensate for the withdrawal of tangible rewards, worked temporarily among urban students but at the same time resulted in lower levels of post-reward rinsing among suburban students. This study confirmed the efficacy of contingent rewards for initiating new health habits among adolescents, but neither a partial schedule of reward nor instruction in self-management was sufficient to establish long-term continuation of the behavior. Implications of these findings for health psychologists and public health professionals are discussed briefly.
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000379:methods*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012201:Reward; D012648:Self Care; D012737:Sex Factors; D014504:Urban Health
D009067:Mouthwashes; D005459:Fluorides