Define the term "contingency management" in recovery settings.

Contingency management is defined as a behavioral treatment strategy that provides tangible rewards or incentives to individuals for engaging in positive behaviors, such as maintaining sobriety or attending therapy sessions. This approach is based on the principles of operant conditioning, where desirable behaviors are reinforced through rewards. In recovery settings, contingency management helps to motivate individuals by creating a structure that encourages them to achieve their goals, such as abstaining from substance use or adhering to treatment protocols. By rewarding these positive behaviors, it increases the likelihood that individuals will continue to make healthy choices, thereby supporting their recovery journey.

The other concepts do not align with the definition of contingency management since they focus on different aspects of behavior modification or treatment that do not involve rewards for positive actions. For example, ignoring negative behaviors would not promote change, while punishment methods would not inherently provide supportive reinforcement for recovery behaviors, and verbal counseling lacks the incentivization aspect central to contingency management.