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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Subst Abuse Treat. 2007 Jun 15;34(1):101–111. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2007.02.009

Table 1.

Treatment Conditions in Steps of Behavioral Intervention for Experimental Group

Treatment Steps1
Treatment Variables − 4 − 3 − 2 − 1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4
Number of Scheduled Counseling Sessions/Week 3 3 3 2 2 2 Patient Selects 1, 2, or 3 Sessions/Week
Number of Methadone Take-Home Doses/Week2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3
Methadone Dosing Hours At Clinic3 Split Dose; Attends Clinic Twice/Day Clinic Staff Selects Hours; Attends Once/Day Patient Selects Hours; Attends Once/Day
Medication Dose4 20% Decrease No Change 20% Decrease Clinic Staff Selects Dose Patient Selects Dose
1

Patients start at step 0 with a methadone dose of 55 mg. Each step is two weeks in duration and movement up or down depends on results of urine testing and adherence to scheduled counseling.

2

Patients can earn up to 3 take- home doses per week and can choose which day to use them.

3

If patient selects medication timing, hours to choose from becomes wider as the subject progresses in the steps (i.e. 9:00 to 19:30 in Step + 4). If clinic selected, hours are more restricted and less convenient. If split, patient must come to the clinic two times each day for full methadone dose.

4

Patient selected methadone doses allow the patient to increase 5 to 10 mg over the next two weeks, up to a total dose of 80 mg; clinic selected doses changes may or may not be made in Step −1 and fixed reduction occur in Steps −2 and −4.