title: Abstinence rates following behavioral treatments for marijuana dependence.
abstract: Previous studies have noted particular difficulty in achieving abstinence among those who are marijuana dependent. The present study employed a dismantling design to determine whether adding contingency management (ContM) to motivational enhancement therapy plus cognitive behavioral therapy (MET+CBT), an intervention used in prior studies of treatment for marijuana dependence, would enhance abstinence outcomes. 240 marijuana dependent participants were recruited via advertisements and assigned to either MET+CBT, ContM-only, MET+CBT+ContM, or to a case-management control condition. All interventions involved 9 weekly 1-h sessions, except for the ContM-only condition whose sessions lasted about 15 min. ContM provided reinforcement for marijuana-free urine specimens, in the form of vouchers redeemable for goods or services. Follow-up data were collected at posttreatment and at 3-month intervals for 1 year. The two ContM conditions had superior abstinence outcomes: ContM-only had the highest abstinence rates at posttreatment, and the MET+CBT+ContM combination had the highest rates at later follow-ups. The roles of contingency management and coping skills training in the treatment of marijuana dependence are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030-3944, USA. kadden@psychiatry.uchc.edu
authors.forename: Ronald M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kadden
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Litt
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kabela-Cormier
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Petry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D009042:Motivation; D010507:Periodicity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors