Contingency Management Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder

Abstract

Abstract Contingency Management (CM) is an effective, evidence-based approach for the treatment of substance use disorder, including opioid use disorder (OUD). CM interventions derive from the operant behavior perspective of psychology and have an extensive theoretical, laboratory, and clinical foundation that laid the foundation for development of CM interventions to treat substance use disorder. Hundreds of studies, including controlled trials, systematic reviews,5,8 and meta-analyses have shown CM interventions to be a highly effective treatment for substance use disorder, particularly when used for OUD. This chapter reviews the underlying foundation for CM and a brief history of its use for the treatment of OUD. We then review the use of CM in opioid agonist treatment for promoting abstinence from opioids, cocaine, cigarettes, and other substances in persons who are using opioids, as well as its use in detoxification settings and to promote behaviors other than abstinence, such as treatment engagement or retention and vocational training.