Using Rewards to Help Methamphetamine Users
Author Information
Author(s): Steven Shoptaw, Jeffrey D Klausner, Cathy J Reback, Stephen Tierney, John Stansell, C Bradley Hare, Steven Gibson, Michael Siever, William D King, Uyen Kao, Jeffrey Dang
Primary Institution: David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Hypothesis
Can contingency management effectively reduce methamphetamine use among men who have sex with men?
Conclusion
The study found that contingency management is a feasible and cost-effective method to reduce methamphetamine use in community settings.
Supporting Evidence
- 143 men sought treatment in the first 10 months of the program.
- 77.6% of participants were HIV-infected.
- Participants averaged 15 methamphetamine-free urine samples during treatment.
- 60% completed 4 weeks of treatment.
Takeaway
This study shows that giving rewards to people who stop using methamphetamine can help them stay off the drug.
Methodology
Participants provided observed urine samples and received vouchers for negative samples over a 12-week period.
Potential Biases
Potential for participants to attempt to exploit the program for rewards.
Limitations
The study lacked a comparison group, limiting causal conclusions.
Participant Demographics
Participants were primarily methamphetamine-using men who have sex with men, with 77.6% being HIV-infected.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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