title: The brief abstinence test: effects of continued incentive availability on cocaine abstinence.
abstract: This study compared the effects of 4 voucher incentive conditions of a brief abstinence test on continuous cocaine abstinence. In 3 conditions, cocaine-abusing methadone patients could earn $100 for 2 days of cocaine abstinence; 2 of these conditions offered, on either a continuous or interrupted schedule, an additional $300 for evidence of sustained abstinence over the next 9 days. In the 4th condition, no incentives were available. In incentive conditions, 70-80% of patients initiated abstinence, compared with 48% in the no-incentive condition. Both continuing reinforcement conditions produced higher rates of sustained abstinence than the single and no-voucher conditions. The study confirmed the utility of quantitative urine-testing methods combined with high valued incentives to promote cocaine abstinence initiation in methadone maintenance patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Robles-Sotelo
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: Maxine L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Stitzer
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bigelow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009042:Motivation; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D008691:Methadone