RANDOMIZED TRIAL COMPARING TWO TREATMENT STRATEGIES USING PRIZE-BASED REINFORCEMENT OF ABSTINENCE IN COCAINE AND OPIATE USERS

We compared two strategies of prize-based contingency management (CM) in methadone-maintained outpatients. Urine was tested thrice weekly, for 5 weeks pre-CM, 12 weeks GM, and 8 weeks post-CM. Participants were randomly assigned to a cocaine contingency (four prize draws for each cocaine-negative urine, N = 29) or an opiate-cocaine contingency (one draw for each urine negative for opiates or cocaine, four draws if negative for both, N = 38). There Were no group differences in cocaine abstinence during CM or post-CM and no differences in opiate abstinence during CM, Opiate abstinence was greater in the opiate-cocaine group post-CM, and heroin craving was reduced in this group during and post-CM. Draws earned per cocaine-negative wine (four vs. one) did not affect cocaine use.