Some Observations from Behavioral Economics for Consideration in Promoting Money Management among Those with Substance Use Disorders

Abstract

Background: Behavioral economics research has revealed systematic biases in decision making that merit consideration in efforts to promote money management skills among those with substance use disorders (SUDs). Objectives: The objective of this article was to briefly review the literature on five of those biases (i.e., hyperbolic delay discounting, defaults and preference for the status quo, loss aversion, mental accounting, and failure to account for opportunity cost) that may have particular relevance to the topic of money management. Methods: Selected studies are reviewed to illustrate these biases and how they may relate to efforts to promote money management skills among those with substance use disorders. Studies were identified by searching PubMed using the terms “behavioral economics” and “substance use disorders”, reviewing bibliographies of published articles, and discussions with colleagues. Results: Only one of these biases (i.e., hyperbolic delay discounting) has been investigated extensively among those with SUDs. Indeed, it has been found to be sufficiently prevalent among those with SUDs to be considered as a potential risk factor for those disorders and certainly merits careful consideration in efforts to improve money management skills in that population. There has been relatively little empirical research reported regarding the other biases among those with SUDs, although they appear to be sufficiently fundamental to human behavior and relevant to the topic of money management (e.g., loss aversion) to also merit consideration. There is precedent of effective leveraging of behavioral economics principles in treatment development for SUDs (e.g., contingency management), including at least one intervention that explicitly focuses on money management (i.e., advisor–teller money management therapy). Conclusions and Scientific Significance: The consideration of the systematic biases in human decision making that have been revealed in behavioral economics research has the potential to enhance efforts to devise effective strategies for improving money management skills among those with SUDs.

• behavioral economics
• substance use disorders
• money management
• delay discounting
• self-control

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This article was written in partial fulfillment of requirements for a doctoral degree being completed by the first author at the University of Vermont. The manuscript preparation was supported in part by research grants DA14028, DA008076, and DA009378 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and the writing of this article.

Notes

1. Loss aversion may be related to the “sign effect” in delay discounting research wherein delayed losses are thought to be discounted less than gains of the same magnitude (41,42,88,89).