Use of mindfulness training to improve BAC self-estimation during a drinking episode.
Alexandra R Kelly, Mark T Fillmore
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors August 24, 2023 DOI: 10.1037/adb0000955 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 33 |
| Population | Adult drinkers |
| Interventions | Alcohol BAC feedback |
| Dose | 0.65 g/kg of alcohol |
| Duration | Four study sessions: two training sessions and two retention sessions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Alcoholic intoxication Alcohol drinking Awareness Female Young adult Blood alcohol content |
| Key findings | Participants who received BAC feedback, either alone or combined with a body scan mindfulness exercise, estimated their blood alcohol concentration more accurately at retention tests than a no-treatment control group, with no difference between the two training groups. Perceived intoxication levels did not differ among groups after training. The authors describe this as preliminary support for mindfulness training plus BAC feedback. |
Abstract
Objective: Individuals are often inaccurate at estimating levels of intoxication following doses of alcohol. Previous research has shown that when required to estimate (BAC) at different time points, participants often underestimate their BACs and amounts of alcohol consumed. The present study aimed to increase drinkers' BAC estimation accuracy after drinking alcohol using mindfulness-based feedback to increase their awareness of the interoceptive cues associated with alcohol intoxication.
Method: Thirty-three adults were given 0.65 g/kg of alcohol and received one of three training conditions: BAC feedback only, body scan exercise + BAC feedback and no treatment control. Those in the BAC feedback group received feedback concerning their observed BAC during dose exposure. Participants in the body scan group received BAC feedback and underwent a mindfulness exercise to enhance their perception of the acute subjective effects of alcohol. The control group received no BAC estimation training. Participants attended four study sessions: Two training sessions where participants underwent structured training based on their condition and two retention sessions to test for the lasting effects of the training exercises.
Results: Retention tests showed that participants in both treatment groups were most accurate in estimating their BACs. There were no differences among the groups in their perceived levels of intoxication at posttraining. The findings suggest that BAC feedback, alone and in combination with, mindfulness training can improve accuracy in estimating BACs.
Conclusions: The findings provide preliminary support for the efficacy of mindfulness training in combination with BAC feedback to improve BAC estimation accuracy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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 6
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as a Stress Management Intervention for Healthy Individuals Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine July 22, 2014
- Effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials Journal of Research in Nursing November 29, 2012
- Brief body-scan meditation practice improves somatosensory perceptual decision making. Consciousness and Cognition March 1, 2013
- Does mindfulness training improve cognitive abilities? A systematic review of neuropsychological findings. Clinical Psychology Review December 1, 2010
and 1 more in the library