REINFORCING OPERANTS OTHER THAN ABSTINENCE IN DRUG-ABUSE TREATMENT - AN EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE FOR REDUCING DRUG-USE

This study examines the effectiveness of using vouchers to reinforce e ither the provision of urine samples testing negative for illicit drug s (UA group) or the completion of objective, individually defined, tre atment-plan-related tasks (TP group). A third group was assigned to th e clinic's standard treatment (STD group). Participants were randomly assigned to groups after a B-week baseline-stabilization period. Urine specimens were collected thrice weekly throughout the study. In the U A condition, participants earned $5 (U.S. dollars) in vouchers for eac h drug-free urine submitted. In the TP condition, participants earned up to $15 in vouchers per week for demonstrating completion of treatme nt plan tasks assigned by their counselors. Contingencies were in effe ct for 12 weeks, after which all participants received the clinic's st andard treatment. Urinalysis results indicate that the TP intervention was significantly more effective in reducing illicit drug use than ei ther the UA or STD interventions. These effects were maintained with a trend toward continuing improvement for the TP groups even after cont ingencies were discontinued.