title: The use of token economy to reduce illicit drug use among methadone maintenance clients.
abstract: The effects of a token economy in modifying the illicit polydrug use of 97 methadone maintenance clients was investigated over a period of two and a half years. Subjects' drug-free urinalysis reports were reinforced with points which could be redeemed to obtain methadone. Each subject's daily dose level varied with the point balance. A multiple baseline analysis showed that when methadone acquisition was in part made contingent upon drug-free urinalyses, illicit drug use declined rapidly. After six months, the token economy group's urines were 14% positive for illicit drugs compared to 39% in the traditional treatment group. As time in treatment increased, illicit drug use further declined. These results suggest a more effective and practical strategy for the treatment of polydrug abusing methadone maintenance clients than has previously been available.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014040:Token Economy
chemical_list: D008691:Methadone