The Use of Behavior Modification in Institutional Drug Programs: Does the End Justify the Means?

The purpose of this paper is two-fold: to present an overview of behavior modification, and to discuss ethical misgivings pertaining directly to the use of behavior modification in institutional drug treatment programs. Drug educators and health professionals, in their enthusiasm over the apparent effectiveness of this approach, have sometimes neglected to ask the all important question: Does the end justify the means? More specifically, the paper raises questions about the following issues vis-a-vis the use of behavior modification in institutional treatment programs: definition of problem, danger of social control, and informed consent. It concludes with a reexamination of aversive therapy and a plea for professionalism.