Money as a tool to extinguish conditioned responses to cocaine in addicts

Classical conditioning principles offer a nondrug way to treat cocaine dependence. Eleven male subjects with the primary diagnosis of cocaine dependence were placed into one of two groups. The experimental group was asked to handle $500 cash in a mock budgetary task. The control group was asked to just imagine handling and budgeting the money. The subjects rated their craving-related feelings before and after each task. The experimental group showed significantly more craving after the money-handling task as compared to the control group, and the scores improved with time and as more tasks were completed. These data show that craving induced by handling cash is powerful and can be attenuated, at least on a short-term basis, using classical extinction procedures.

Daily cocaine craving in a 3-week inpatient treatment program

Fifteen male veteran cocaine addicts took simple tests of cocaine craving, mood, energy, and perceived health status for 23 consecutive days during an inpatient treatment center. Results show they experienced very little cocaine craving or other symptomatology. Multiple regression analyses show that health rating alone was the best predictor of cocaine craving. These results question solely internal sources of craving and the oft-touted craving-depression connection. The study delineates further implications of the findings.

Contingency management of self-report and cleaning behavior

The effects of a contingency management program utilizing a reinforcing event (breakfast) were investigated in respect to cabin-cleaning and self-report behaviors in a group of nine male campers, ranging in age from 11 to 13. Control of cabin-cleaning behavior was clearly demonstrated. The large discrepancy between camper self-ratings and counselor ratings disappeared when the opportunity to line up for breakfast was made contingent upon both accuracy of self-report and improved cleaning performance.