What is Contingency Management?
Contingency Management: A Definition
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Positive Reinforcement
In CM, positive reinforcement comes in the form of tangible rewards. But positive reinforcement is larger than that! People enrolled in CM also receive positive reinforcement through acknowledgement, affirmation, and kind words of those delivering CM, as well as the connection, community, and celebration they feel as being a part of a CM program.
A behavioral therapy for substance use disorders that uses positive reinforcement to encourage behavior change.
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Behavior Change
Behavior change refers to the behavior measured in CM like counseling attendance or negative stimulant drug tests. But it's so much more than that! Behavior change can lead to improving people's lives: reconnecting with loved ones and communities, feeling better, recapturing a sense of what’s important, and more.
Unpacking the simple definition above...
To deliver CM, provide tangible
reinforcers (e.g. a reward like a gift card) after a desired behavior (like a negative urine drug test) to encourage more of
that behavior.
Decades of research have shed light on key features needed to make sure CM has a meaningful impact, including the duration, frequency, and magnitude of the reinforcer associated with the biggest effects.
Evidence suggests that the benefits can last long after the CM program ends, often creating opportunities for "natural reinforcers" (such as revived relationships with family and friends) to tag in.
When an evidence-based CM protocol is implemented with precision and empathy, it becomes a powerful tool to foster self-efficacy, strengthen the therapeutic relationship, and save lives.
Learn more about what it takes for CM to make an impact on substance use:
