Journal article
Use of vouchers to reinforce abstinence and positive behaviors among clients in a drug court treatment program
Journal of substance abuse treatment, Vol.35(2), pp.125-136
2008
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/106013
PMCID: PMC2527867
PMID: 17997267
Abstract
In response to the growing number of drug offenders cycling in and out of the criminal justice system without treatment for underlying drug problems, the judicial system has increasingly adopted drug courts as a strategy to divert these offenders from incarceration to supervised drug treatment. Our aim was to determine if drug court treatment effectiveness could be improved using contingency management, in the form of twice-weekly vouchers, to reinforce abstinence and positive behaviors for 163 clients over 26 weeks. We found no significant differences in outcomes among the study groups, although the Treatment Plan Group that received reinforcement for positive behaviors showed a trend toward poorer performance. We suspect that the influence of the judge within the courtroom had a stronger impact on drug court clients' attitudes, drug use behaviors, and other outcomes than the relatively low-value vouchers awarded as part of the treatment protocol.
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Details
- Title
- Use of vouchers to reinforce abstinence and positive behaviors among clients in a drug court treatment program
- Creators
- Michael L Prendergast - University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USAElizabeth A Hall - University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USAJohn Roll - Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USAUmme Warda - University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Publication Details
- Journal of substance abuse treatment, Vol.35(2), pp.125-136
- Academic Unit
- Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Identifiers
- 99900546761201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article