Future Directions in Contingency Management Research

University Of Vermont &St Agric College, Burlington VT

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this application is to obtain NIDA support to hold a small scientific meeting on the use of contingency management (CM) for treatment of substance use disorders and associated problems. The meeting will take place on Oct. 7-8, 2004, in Burlington, Vermont. The meeting presenters, who are diverse in terms of their formal training and professional rank, were selected because of their involvement in important scientific research on CM and drug abuse. The overarching aim of the proposed meeting is to bring together these experts in CM and related areas of substance abuse research to discuss the future of CM research. More specifically, we will discuss current knowledge and future directions with regard to: 1) lowering the cost of CM and testing the efficacy of such lower-cost CM interventions in community substance abuse treatment centers; 2) the integration of CM and vocational training in addressing the co-occurring problems of drug dependence and chronic unemployment; 3) the integration of CM into treatment of special populations and settings other than substance abuse treatment clinics; and 4) the rigorous and quantitative characterization of relapse rates following treatment with CM interventions, including examining whether rates differ across populations and substances, and how they compare with other substance abuse treatment interventions (e.g., cognitive behavior therapy). Critical discussion of these issues is important to the future of CM and to the research agenda of NIDA.