Jesse Dallery, Steven Meredith, & Irene M. Glenn. (2008)
A deposit contract method to deliver abstinence reinforcement for cigarette smoking.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
41, 609-615.
Eight smokers were randomly assigned to a deposit contract ($50.00) or
to a no-deposit group. Using a reversal design, participants could recoup
their deposit (deposit group) or earn vouchers (no-deposit group) for
smoking reductions and abstinence (breath carbon monoxide [CO] ≤ 4
parts per million) during treatment phases. Treatment was delivered via a
novel Internet-based method to monitor smoking status. Although equivalent
decreases in breath CO and abstinence were observed during treatment in
both groups, $178.50 in vouchers were distributed to participants in the
no-deposit group, whereas a small surplus remained in the deposit group.
A deposit contract method may represent a cost-effective model to deliver
abstinence reinforcement for cigarette smoking.
DESCRIPTORS: abstinence, cigarette smoking, deposit contract, nicotine, voucher reinforcement