Incentivizing Recovery: Why Contingency Management Works to Treat Addiction

Dr. Lara Coughlin is featured in this episode of the American Psychological Association's Speaking of Psychology podcast

Author | Stephany Daniel

Speaking of Psychology logo depicts a brain and a talking bubble

 

Lara Coughlin, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Michigan Addiction Center, was a recent guest on the American Psychological Association’s Speaking of Psychology podcast. Coughlin discussed how tangible rewards and incentives can help people experiencing addiction abstain from drug use and begin their recovery journey. This evidence-based approach, called contingency management, is especially effective in treating stimulant use disorders as there are currently no approved medications for the condition. 

Listen to the full episode to learn the psychology behind why contingency management works and how it can be applied as a treatment for many forms of addiction.


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