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  • Title: Use of a low-cost incentive intervention to improve counseling attendance among methadone-maintained patients.
    Author: Sigmon SC, Stitzer ML.
    Journal: J Subst Abuse Treat; 2005 Dec; 29(4):253-8. PubMed ID: 16311177.
    Abstract:
    Despite the importance of counseling in methadone maintenance treatment, many patients do not take advantage of these services. Incentives for attending group counseling were offered to methadone-maintained patients during an orientation phase of treatment or during required attendance at a relapse group later in treatment. Upon attending each counseling session, patients could draw for prizes under an escalating draw system with a 50% probability that draws would result in a prize. Incentives included small (1dollar), moderate (5 dollars), and large (20 dollars) prizes, with chances of winning inversely related to prize costs, and a maximum possible total of 160 dollars per patient. It was anticipated that this policy would provide a relatively low-cost approach to improving counseling attendance in our methadone clinic. The incentive policy significantly increased the percent of counseling sessions attended (52% vs. 76%) and promoted periods of continuous attendance. These data further support the effectiveness of low-cost incentive programs in enhancing counseling attendance among methadone patients.
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