Mindfulness-based interventions for addictive behaviors: Implementation issues on the road ahead.
Adam D. Wilson, Corey Roos, Charles S. Robinson, Elena R. Stein, Jacob A. Manuel, Matthew C. Enkema, Sarah Bowen, Katie Witkiewitz
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors October 26, 2017 DOI: 10.1037/adb0000319 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 42 |
| Key findings | The review identifies a lack of clear empirical guidelines for implementing mindfulness-based interventions for addictive behaviors across several key areas and suggests research directions to improve access. |
Abstract
Over the past 35 years, mindfulness meditation practices have increasingly been integrated into Western medical settings. Research into the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) continues to expand, such that there are currently more than a dozen different protocolled MBIs for patients suffering from a variety of physical and psychological disorders. In the last decade, a number of MBIs specifically designed to treat addictive behaviors have been developed and tested. This review first provides a brief overview of the current state of the science with respect to the efficacy of MBIs for addictive behaviors, and some of the proposed mechanisms underlying the efficacy of MBIs. Second, the review highlights unresolved implementation issues and provides suggestions for how future research can address the implementation challenges to advance the delivery of MBIs. Specifically, this review focuses on the lack of clear empirical guidelines in the following areas: (a) effective training for MBI treatment providers; (b) adaptations of the traditional 2-hr closed-cohort group format; (c) delivery of MBIs in 1-on-1 treatment contexts; (d) delivery of MBIs at different points in the change process; (e) delivery of MBIs via technology-based platforms; and (f) facilitation of precision medicine in the delivery of MBIs. Specific research directions are suggested with an eye toward a meaningful increase in access to MBIs for front-line clinicians and clients. (PsycINFO Database Record
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- A mindfulness-based intervention for Substance Use Disorder in a Brazilian vulnerable population: a feasibility mixed method study. Frontiers in Public Health 2024
- A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study on the Effects of Loving-Kindness and Mindfulness Meditation (LKM) on Patients in a Sterile Isolation Room to Improve Their Mood Status Japanese Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine August 31, 2025
- Mindfulness as an early intervention for hazardous alcohol use among non-treatment seeking Latine emerging adults: A mini-review. Addictive Behaviors May 29, 2023
- A single-arm open-label pilot study of brief mindfulness meditation to control impulsivity in Parkinson's disease. PLoS One 2022
- The Implementation of Mindfulness-Based Programs in the Swedish Healthcare System - A Survey Study of Service Providers. Global Advances in Health and Medicine 2021
and 1 more in the library
Cites 30
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience August 13, 2007
- The mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy adherence scale: inter‐rater reliability, adherence to protocol and treatment distinctiveness Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy March 1, 2002
- Empirical explorations of mindfulness: Conceptual and methodological conundrums. Emotion February 1, 2010
- Mindfulness Meditation for Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review Substance Abuse October 1, 2009
and 25 more in the library