It is difficult to consistently adhere to prescribed medication regimens and clients consistently underestimate how many doses of prescribed doses were missed.
Cue-Dose Training (Methods)
Cue-dose training involves reviewing information from electronic pill-caps that record a client’s pattern of medication-taking over the preceding weeks. At therapy sessions, clients review the habits, thoughts, and feelings associated with medications that were taken or missed.
A brief description of the motivational components of cue-dose training is available. Clients’ motivation to improve their medication-taking is linked to the need to develop strategies to take medication.
“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”
- Jim Ryun, Olympian
Several clinical trials have been conducted comparing cue-dose training to other interventions. Most have suggested the efficacy of cue-dose training, especially when coupled with contingent reinforcement of doses taken.