Soft Commitment as a Mechanism to Prevent Preference Reversals in Smokers

Univ Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

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Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Bickel, Warren, K. DESCRIPTION. State theapplication's broad, long-termobjectivesand specific aims, makingreferenceto the healthrelatednessof the project.. Describe concisely the researchdesign and methodsfor achievingthese goals. Avoid summaries of past accomplishments and the use of the first person. This descriptionis meantto serveas a succinctand accuratedescriptionof the proposedworkwhen separatedfrom theapplication. If the application is funded,this descriptionas is, will becomepublic information.Therefore,do not includeproprietary/confidentialinformation. DONOT EXCEEDTHE SPACE PROVIDED The discounting of delayed reinforcers among the drug dependent has been increasingly studied. The results of that research are consistent and reflect an important dimension of drug dependence. Specifically, these studies have shown that drug-dependent individuals discount money more than matched controls. Moreover, drug-dependent participants discount their drug of dependence more than they discount money. Ex-dependent or recently abstinent drug users discount money either at a rate intermediate between current drug-dependent individuals and matched controls, or at a rate that approximates discounting of the matched controls. Furthermore, reinforcing abstinence has been shown to decrease the discounting of money and cigarettes in the drug dependent. Overall, these studies suggest that drug-dependent individuals discount more than controls and the excessive discounting among the drug dependent may be a reversible effect of drug use. In this competing continuation, we propose to continue this productive research by addressing three specific aims. The first specific aim is to examine whether drug-dependent individuals with co-morbidity discount delayed reinforcers more than individuals without that co-morbidity. Exp. 1 will examine co-morbid substance dependence disorder by comparing the discounting of opioid-dependent cigarette smokers, opioid-dependent non-smokers, non-opioid-dependent smokers, and non-opioid- dependent, non-smoking matched controls. Exp.2 will examine a non-substance dependence co-morbid psychiatric disorder among cigarette smokers, namely, depression. Specifically, we will compare the discounting of depressed smokers, non-depressed smokers, depressed non-smokers, and non-depressed, non-smoking matched controls. The second specific aim is to extensively compare delay and probability discounting in smokers and non-smokers. A prior study reported that smokers did not differ from non-smokers on probability discounting. That prior report examined the discounting of money at only one magnitude. Exp.3 will systematically replicate and extend that prior study by examining and comparing delay and probability discounting. Specifically, we will compare those two types of discounting with several commodities, each at several magnitudes, in both smokers and matched controls. The third specific aim is to examine the relationship between discounting and abstinence. Previously we have shown that ex-smokers do not discount differently than non-smokers. Two hypotheses to explain that observation are (a) smokers who are successfully abstinent discounted less prior to the initiation of abstinence (less discounting leads to abstinence) and (b) abstinence leads to less discounting. These hypotheses may not be mutually exclusive. In Exp.4, we will examine whether individuals with proximate plans to quit cigarette smoking discount differently than both current smokers with no proximate plans to quit and ex-smokers. In Exp.5, we will follow up our initial observation regarding the effects of reinforced abstinence on discounting. Specifically, we propose to replicate and extend that observation with cigarette smokers by imposing and removing a contingency management procedure. If our prior work is replicated, then discounting should decrease when smoking abstinence is reinforced. We will extend that work by determining whether the decrease in discounting reverses when cigarette smokers relapse. PERFORMANCE SITE(S) (organization, city, state) University of Vermont - Dept. of Psychiatry Human Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory (HBPL) Ira Allen School - 38 Fletcher Place Burlington, VT 05401-1419 University of Vermont - Dept. of Psychiatry Substance Abuse Treatment Center (SATC) 1 South Prospect Street Burlington, VT 05401-1195 The Chittenden Center UHC Room #1420 1 So. Prospect Burlington, VT 05401 KEY PERSONNEL. See instructions. Usecontinuationpagesas needed to providethe requiredinformationinthe format shownbelow. Startwith PrincipalInvestigator. List all otherkey personnelin alphabeticalorder,lastnamefirst. Name Organization Role on Project Bickel, Warren K. University of Vermont Co-Investigator Higgins, Stephen T. University of Vermont Principal Investigator Badger, Gary J. University of Vermont Biostatistician PHS 398(Rev.05/01) Page2 Form Page 2 Numberpagesconsecutivelyat the bottomthroughouttheapplication.Do notusesuffixessuchas3a, 3b. Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Bickel, Warren K. The name of the principal investigator/program director must be provided at the top of each printed page and each continuation page. RESEARCH GRANT TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Numbers Face Page ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Description, Performance Sites, and Personnel ........................................................................................ 2- 2 Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................................ 3 Detailed Budget for Initial Budget Period (or Modular Budget) ............................................................... 4 Budget for Entire Proposed Period of Support (not applicablewith ModularBudget).............................. n/a Budgets Pertaining to Consortium/Contractual Arrangements (not applicable with Modular Budget) .. n/a Biographical Sketch Principal Investigator/Program Director (Not to exceed four pages) ..................... 5-7 Other Biographical Sketches (Not to exceed four pages for each --See instructions)) ............................ 8-15 Resources ........................................................................................................................................................ 16 Research Plan Introduction to Revised Application (Not to exceed 3 pages) ................................................................................................................ 17-19 Introduction to Supplemental Application (Not to exceed one page) ..................................................................................................... n/a 19-20 A. Specific Aims ............................................................................ _. ......................................................................................... 20-26 B. Background and Significance ................................................... ""-t ....................................................................................... |- 27-30 C. Preliminary Studies/Progress Report/ _. (Items A-D: not to exceed 25 pages*) .._ n/a Phase I Progress Report (SBIR/STTR Phase II ONLY) _* SBIR/STTR Phase I: Items A-D limited to 15 pages. D. Research Design and Methods ................................................ _ ! .......................................................................................... ! 32-46 E. Human Subjects .......................................................................................................................................................................... 46-48 Protection of Human Subjects (Required if Item 4 on the Face Page is marked Yes ) 46-48 Inclusion of Women (Required if Item 4 on the Face Page is marked Yes ) ...................................................................... 48 Inclusion of Minorities (Required if Item 4 on the Face Page is marked Yes ) .................................................................... 48 Inclusion of Children (Required if Item 4 on the Face Page is marked Yes ) ...................................................................... 48 Data and Safety Monitoring Plan (Required if Item 4 on the Face Page is marked Yes and a Phase I, II, or III clinical n/a trial is proposed ............................................................................................................................................................... F. Vertebrate Animals ...................................................................................................................................................................... n/a G. Literature Cited ............................................................................................................................................................................ 48-54 H. Consortium/Contractual Arrangements ....................................................................................................................................... n/a I. Letters of Support (e.g., Consultants) ......................................................................................................................................... 57-58 J. Product Development Plan (SBIR/STTR Phase II and Fast-Track ONLY) ............................................................................... n/a Checklist ........................................................................................................................................................... Check if Appendix (Five collated sets. No page numbering necessary for Appendix.) Appendix is Included Appendices NOT PERM/TTED for Phase / SB/R/S TTR unless specifically solicited. Number of publications and manuscripts accepted for publication (not to exceed 10) 10 Other items (list): PHS 398 (Rev. 05/01) Page 3 Form Page 3