Culturally centred contingency management for Maori with harmful methamphetamine use

Contingency management is a behavioural intervention that uses positive reinforcenment. When someone demonstrates a target behaviour, they are given reinforcers. In this study the target behaviour is abstinence from methamphetamine, verified through a negative urine drug screen (UDS), The intervention is 12 weeks, with two individual face-to-face visits per week, at a clinic or community partner service. Each visit will take 15 minutes. The visits will be with a clinical psychologist with more than 5 years experience. At each visit an instant UDS will be administered and tested for methamphetamine. During the visit there will be a brief discussion between the clinical psychologist and participant likely about matters such as; how the participant is managing making changes to their substance use, their circumstances and any social needs, or other topics that the participant wishes to raise. For negative UDS results (i.e., no presence of methamphetamine) participants will earn positive reinforcers in the form of prize slips that can be used to obtain prizes. For positive UDS results (i.e., presence of methamphetamine) participants will not earn positive reinforcers. Maori cultural knowledges and practices are integrated throughout to culturally centre the intervention. Foundational to this is recognising that wellbeing for Maori is holistic, encompassing physical, psychological, relational, and spiritual, and in practice this includes creating shared understandings with whaiora through use of Maori health models and measures. In addition, Maori cultural needs will be attended to through working alongside Maori community partners, having Maori clinical psychologists deliver the intervention, including culturally relevant prizes, and use of te reo Maori (Maori language) in intervention materials. Participants will be provided with a schedule of visits at the commencement of the intervention, which will be updated throughout the 12 weeks. The intervention will be delivered alongside community partner services, who will support engagement. The community partner services provide a variety of existing support including group based therapy and case management, which participants will be able to access in line with their care or treatment plan.