EVALUATING THE REINFORCEMENT VALUE OF CLINIC-BASED PRIVILEGES THROUGHA MULTIPLE-CHOICE PROCEDURE

A novel multiple choice procedure was utilized to evaluate the potenti al reinforcement value of three clinic-based incentives available duri ng routine methadone treatment: methadone take-homes, methadone dose i ncreases, and extra counseling. Fourteen methadone maintenance patient s who were not earning any of these incentives completed a multiple ch oice form in which they made choices between pairs of incentives and s ubsequently between each incentive and a series of monetary values. Ch oice behavior was intermittently reinforced by randomly awarding to pa tients one of their chosen preferences. Results demonstrated that take -homes were worth US$20.24 and were rated as more desirable than dose increases (US$13.89) and extra counseling (US$7.47). The study updates and extends past research in this area and provides a methodology for establishing both a monetary value for clinic-based incentives and an absolute magnitude between preferences. The procedure could be used t o examine a larger number of potential reinforcers and to understand i ndividual differences in responding to incentive-based treatment progr ams.