Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Methadone Maintenance: A Feasibility Trial.
Sarah Bowen, Vanessa C Somohano, Rachel E Rutkie, Jacob A. Manuel, Kristoffer L Rehder
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine July 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2016.0417 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Mixed methods pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | Adults recruited from a methadone clinic |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) |
| Duration | 6-week course |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Methadone maintenance therapy Mindfulness-based relapse prevention Substance use |
| Key points | MBRP was feasible and acceptable for MMT clients, and depression, craving, and trauma symptoms significantly improved from baseline to postcourse. |
Abstract
As rates of opiate misuse rise in the United States, so do significant associated health and financial consequences to afflicted individuals, their families, and society at large. Methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) is one evidence-based approach to treating opiate addiction, yet supplemental psychosocial treatment to support this approach is lacking. Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) has shown to be efficacious in various substance use populations, but has yet to be assessed with MMT clients. The current mixed methods study was designed to inform protocol adaptation for MMT clients and to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of MBRP for this population. The sample consisted of adults (N = 15) recruited from a methadone clinic to participate in a 6-week MBRP course. Data from focus groups and course satisfaction surveys supported feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Self-report outcome measures included depression, anxiety, craving, symptoms of post-traumatic stress, and experiential avoidance, and were assessed at baseline and postcourse. Mean scores on all primary outcomes changed in the expected direction at postcourse, and baseline to postcourse changes in depression, craving, and trauma symptoms reached statistical significance. Results from this initial pilot trial support feasibility and acceptability, and provide preliminary data on outcomes for future trials of mindfulness-based approaches within the MMT community.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Psychological Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry July 30, 2025
- Perceptions of Women With Comorbid PTSD and Substance Use Disorder on Mechanisms Underlying Mindfulness-Based Interventions. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice June 22, 2022
- Dispositional Mindfulness and Trauma Symptom Severity Associated with Uptake of Mindfulness Practice Among Women in Treatment for Substance Use Disorder. Journal of Substance Use February 14, 2022