A randomized controlled trial of contingency management for smoking abstinence versus contingency management for shaping cessation: One-year outcome

Abstract

This study analyzed whether a contingency management (CM) for shaping cessation period implemented prior to an abstinence-only period (CMS) improves outcomes relative to CM that reinforces only a fixed abstinence criteria (CMA) among treatment-seeking patients in a community setting. A total of 110 patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment conditions: CMA (N = 55) or CMS (N = 55). All participants received cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) implemented in 6 group-based sessions. CMA participants earned voucher-based incentives contingent on providing biochemical evidence of smoking abstinence. CMS reinforced closer approximations to smoking abstinence. At posttreatment, patients assigned to the CMA group achieved the same rates of smoking abstinence (point-prevalence) as those in the CMS group (94.5%; p > .05). At the 6-month follow-up, 43.6% of the patients who received CMA maintained smoking abstinence in comparison to 32.7% in the CMS group (p > .05). At the 12-month follow-up, 40% of the participants assigned to the CMA group were abstinent, in comparison to 29.1% who received CMS (p > .05). There were no statistically significant differences in continuous smoking abstinence between the treatment conditions in any of the follow-ups (p > .05). These results offer a novel contribution by suggesting that CM was associated with enduring effects up to 12 months after the end of treatment and that CM for shaping cessation period implemented prior to an abstinence-only period (CMS) improves outcomes relative to CM that reinforces only a fixed abstinence criteria (CMA) among treatment-seeking patients in a community setting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).