# Culturally Re-Centering Contingency Management and Behavioral Economics to Increase Engagement with American Indian Young Adults

> **NIH NIH K01** · WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $177,635

## Abstract

Project Summary
This Mentored Research Scientist Development (K01) application will provide the candidate with the necessary
skills to become an independent investigator focused on the development and implementation of alcohol
misuse interventions for American Indian (AI) young adults. The activities in the K01 include utilizing
community-based participatory research to culturally re-center a Contingency Management alcohol intervention
that combines technology-based engagement strategies and behavioral economic theoretical models to
increase retention of AI 18-29 year olds. To support the achievement of career and research goals the
candidate has carefully assembled a team of experts in the areas of culturally tailoring substance use disorder
treatments among AI people, community-based participatory research, behavioral economics, Contingency
Management and technology delivered alcohol interventions among young adults (Drs. Kamilla Venner; Nina
Wallerstein; James Murphy; Matthew Pearson; Michael McDonell and J. Scott Tonigan). The candidate’s
training goals include: 1) Acquire the content knowledge to develop culturally grounded alcohol use disorder
interventions and apply behavioral economic theoretical models with AI communities; 2) Harness technology in
the delivery of alcohol use disorder interventions; 3) Strengthen expertise in mixed, methods longitudinal and
advance statistical analyses; and 4) Grant writing. In partnership with a rural reservation community, the
candidate will implement an enhanced Contingency Management (CM) intervention for at risk drinkers (AUDIT
> 8) aged18-29 year old, with a focus on enhancing treatment attendance and engagement in substance free
activities. This objective will be achieved in two phases, with Phase I consisting of establishing a Community
Advisory Board that will guide the research and assist with conducting four focus groups (n = 8 per group) and
twenty semi-structured interviews with young adults, providers and cultural leaders to identify the form and
structure of a culturally centered approach to treatment and engagement in CM and substance-free activities.
Phase II will involve a 12-week two-group RCT (n = 60) that compares standard CM with the re-centered CM
plus. Fixed assessments will occur at baseline and at 4, 8, and 12-weeks and the enhanced CM condition will
employ mobile devices to assess substance free activities weeks 10-12. Study aims will address (1) whether
rewarding treatment attendance and alcohol abstinence increases retention and abstinence, and (2) assess
daily community recovery alternatives and engagement in substance-free activities. As an exploratory analysis,
we will also assess secondary outcomes to determine responders and non-responders to the planned
intervention. Collectively, career development and research activities are tightly integrated and mutually
supportive thus offering an ideal platform for Dr. Hirchak to become an independent investigator.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10483131
- **Project number:** 5K01AA028831-03
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Katherine Hirchak
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $177,635
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-25 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10483131

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10483131, Culturally Re-Centering Contingency Management and Behavioral Economics to Increase Engagement with American Indian Young Adults (5K01AA028831-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10483131. Licensed CC0.

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