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Review
. 2022 Dec 23;13(1):36.
doi: 10.3390/brainsci13010036.

Contingency Management for Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder in Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders: A Systematic Review

Justyne D Rodas  1   2 , Maryam Sorkhou  1   2 , Tony P George  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Contingency Management for Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder in Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders: A Systematic Review

Justyne D Rodas et al. Brain Sci. .

Abstract

Amongst individuals with a mental health disorder, a comorbid diagnosis of cannabis use disorder (CUD) is associated with numerous adverse consequences, including more severe symptom profiles, poorer treatment response, and reduced psychosocial functioning. Contingency management (CM), a method to specifically reinforce target behavior attainment (e.g., substance use abstinence), may provide an effective intervention in treating cannabis use in patients with a dual diagnosis of CUD and a mental health disorder. A systematic search examining the effects of CM on cannabis use, clinical, cognitive, and psychosocial outcomes in patients with a mental health disorder on PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases up to November 2022 was performed. Six studies met inclusion criteria for our review. We found CM to be efficacious in producing cannabis use reductions and abstinence amongst individuals with a psychotic-spectrum or major depressive disorder. Additional longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes, other psychiatric populations, and longer follow-up periods are needed to evaluate the sustained effects of CM.

Keywords: cannabis; contingency management; major depressive disorder; psychiatric disorders; schizophrenia.

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Conflict of interest statement

T.P.G. has provided consultancy to Frutarom and Sanford Burnham Prebys. T.P.G. is also the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of CCSA and Co-Principal Editor of Neuropsychopharmacology (NPP).

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA Flow Diagram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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