Optimizing variables for contingency management among infant caregivers using a simulated purchase task

Abstract

Behavioral economics offers a framework for understanding choice making around public health concerns such as drug use and distracted driving. Such a framework could be beneficial to understanding caregiver choices related to arranging an infant sleep environment. Nonadherence to infant sleep safety guidelines provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics increases the risk of sleep-related infant deaths. The present study adopted a willingness-to-accept purchase task procedure, used in previous research to evaluate variables that predict abstaining from consuming alcohol, to evaluate intention to adhere to recommendations for arranging a safe infant sleep environment. This analysis would inform contingency management incentive scales used to measure caregiver adherence following training caregivers to arrange an infant sleep environment and identify variables that might predict treatment engagement. The results identified incentive sizes, condition duration, and participant variables that predict caregiver adherence. The results can be applied to future investigations that train caregivers to arrange an infant sleep environment.