Contingent Incentives Plus Bupropion for Smoking in People With Schizophrenia

There is a high prevalence of smoking among people with schizophrenia, and there are few smoking treatment programs for these smokers. In this study, we are investigating whether the combination of bupropion (also called Zyban and Wellbutrin) and a behavioral treatment program (contingent vouchers) can reduce smoking in people with schizophrenia. This is a 3-week study aimed to investigate the feasibility of this treatment approach. Participants are randomly assigned to bupropion (300 mg/day, in 2 divided doses) or placebo. After one week on medication, participants are randomly assigned to the active behavioral treatment (contingent vouchers) or the control treatment (non-contingent vouchers). Over a 3-week period, participants come to the study site about 2-3 times per week, and provide information about their recent smoking and nicotine withdrawal symptoms. They also give saliva and urine samples that are analyzed for levels of cotinine, a nicotine metabolite. Participants in the active behavioral treatment group receive gift cards to local grocery stores when their cotinine levels indicate that they have reduced their smoking. Participants in the control behavioral treatment group receive gift cards regardless of cotinine level. Any participant who significantly reduces their smoking at the end of the trial is followed up 2 and 4 weeks after the end of the trial too see if they have sustained these smoking reductions. If we have favorable results from this trial, we will expand it into a smoking treatment program.