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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012 Feb;25(1):33-41.
doi: 10.1111/j.1744-6171.2011.00313.x.

Contingency management in community programs treating adolescent substance abuse: a feasibility study

Therese K Killeen  1 , Aimee L McRae-Clark, Angela E Waldrop, Himanshu Upadhyaya, Kathleen T Brady
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Contingency management in community programs treating adolescent substance abuse: a feasibility study

Therese K Killeen et al. J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs. 2012 Feb.

Abstract

Problem: Adolescent substance abuse remains a public health problem, and more effective treatment approaches are needed.

Purpose: The study aims to determine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of implementing a cost-effective contingency management (CM) intervention in community substance abuse treatment for adolescents with marijuana use disorders.

Methods: Thirty-one adolescents with primary marijuana use disorder enrolled in a community treatment were randomized into either a prize-based CM intervention contingent when submitting negative urine drug screens (UDS) or a noncontingent control group.

Findings: There were no significant group differences in percent negative UDS, sustained negative UDS, or retention in treatment.

Conclusions: CM was difficult to integrate into community treatment programs and did not seem to be an effective adjunct to standard community substance abuse treatment for adolescents with marijuana use disorders. Modifying the CM procedure for adolescents, changing staff attitudes toward CM, and/or combining CM with other evidence-based psychosocial treatment may improve outcomes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest.

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