Management des contingences et dépendance à l’alcool

Addiction can be considered as a set of pathological behaviors that have contributed to its development and maintenance. This is the reason why contingency management has been proposed as a treatment for addiction because it uses the same learning processes. Its principle is based on the use of positive reinforcement (e.g. gifts) to condition the choice of the individual, to choose a better option than only abstinence. This therapy has been frequently studied and has proven effectiveness for many addictions but rarely in the context of alcohol dependence. Yet historical studies have first studied individuals with alcohol use disorders (with or without dependence). We will first succinctly describe principles of this therapy and the few studies focused on people presenting with alcohol addiction.