Sip, savor, but don't spill: mindfulness enhances alcohol enjoyment without boosting consumption.
Ran Ma, Xingzhe Wu, Wei Xu
Addictive Behaviors 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108505 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 156 |
| Population | Healthy young adults with low-risk drinking profiles |
| Intervention | Mindfulness induction |
| Duration | 16-minute intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Alcohol consumption Alcohol experience Randomized controlled trials Substance use |
| Key findings | Brief mindfulness meditation enhanced subjective alcohol enjoyment and positive affect in healthy young adults without increasing actual alcohol consumption. |
Abstract
Brief mindfulness meditation induction effectively reduces addictive behaviors in clinical populations, yet their impact on non-addicted individuals remains unclear. This study investigated whether brief mindfulness practice amplifies alcohol enjoyment and consumption in healthy young adults. Across two randomized controlled trials (Study 1:N = 67; Study 2:N = 89), participants with low-risk drinking profiles completed a 16-minute mindfulness induction or a neutral control task, followed by alcohol tasting and behavioral measures. Results revealed that mindfulness significantly enhanced subjective alcohol enjoyment (Study 1:d = 0.45,p = 0.01; Study 2:d = 0.45,p = 0.04) and increased positive affect while reducing negative emotion (d = 0.95-1.20,p < 0.001), but did not alter actual consumption. An Implicit Association Test (IAT) in Study 2 showed no group differences in implicit attitudes toward alcohol versus tea. These findings indicate that brief mindfulness may intensify affective and sensory responses without increasing use-possibly due to a dissociation between reward sensitivity and behavioral impulse. The results align with dual-process theories of mindfulness (e.g., Monitor and Acceptance Theory, Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory), and highlight the importance of aligning mindfulness practices with motivational and regulatory goals to avoid unintended reinforcement of substance-related pleasure in non-addicted populations.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 22
- Brief mindfulness training for negative affectivity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology June 25, 2018
- The Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory: Extensions, Applications, and Challenges at the Attention–Appraisal–Emotion Interface Psychological Inquiry October 2, 2015
- Mindfulness-based programs for substance use disorders: a systematic review of manualized treatments Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy July 29, 2020
- Positive Psychological States in the Arc from Mindfulness to Self-Transcendence: Extensions of the Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory and Applications to Addiction and Chronic Pain Treatment Current Opinion in Psychology January 14, 2019
- Restructuring Reward Mechanisms in Nicotine Addiction: A Pilot fMRI Study of Mindfulness‐Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Cigarette Smokers Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2017
and 17 more in the library