title: Improving treatment outcomes for pregnant drug-dependent women using low-magnitude voucher incentives.
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.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Haug
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Stitzer
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Svikis
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000523:psychology; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009042:Motivation; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013695:Temperance / Q000523:psychology; D014040:Token Economy
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008691:Methadone