Remote Alcohol Monitoring to Facilitate Abstinence From Alcohol: Exp 2

Directly reinforcing abstinence from alcohol with monetary incentives is an effective treatment for alcohol dependence, but barriers in obtaining frequent, verified biochemical measures of abstinence limit the dissemination of this treatment approach. As our feasibility study demonstrates, remote breathalyzer monitoring drastically improves the practicality of delivering an alcohol contingency management intervention. In Experiment 2, we will test whether the addition of remote abstinence incentives to treatment as usual improves outpatient treatment outcomes and prevents relapse following inpatient detoxification at a regional hospital system. We will also assess whether readmission rates are reduced using a newly developed smartphone app and breathalyzer.