Maintaining Treatment Fidelity of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention Intervention for Alcohol Dependence: A Randomized Controlled Trial Experience.
Aleksandra Zgierska, Joshua Shapiro, Cindy A. Burzinski, Faith Lerner, Victoria Goodman-Strenski
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2017 DOI: 10.1155/2017/9716586 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 123 |
| Population | Alcohol-dependent adults |
| Intervention | adjunctive to usual care |
| Duration | 26-week trial; ten 8-session interventions; assessments at 8 weeks and 26 weeks |
| Measures | modified MBRP Adherence and Competence Scale |
| Topics | Addiction Meditation |
| Key findings | Therapist adherence and competence in delivering MBRP-A were rated high, 46 of 64 participants attended at least four sessions, over 90% reported home mindfulness practice at 8 weeks and 72% at 26 weeks, and no adverse events were reported. The authors argue that systematic fidelity monitoring helps determine consistency between intended and actual delivery and receipt of behavioral interventions. |
Abstract
Treatment fidelity is essential to methodological rigor of clinical trials evaluating behavioral interventions such as Mindfulness Meditation (MM). However, procedures for monitoring and maintenance of treatment fidelity are inconsistently applied, limiting the strength of such research. To describe the implementation and findings related to fidelity monitoring of the Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Alcohol Dependence (MBRP-A) intervention in a 26-week randomized controlled trial. 123 alcohol dependent adults were randomly assigned to MM (MBRP-A and home practice, adjunctive to usual care; N = 64) or control (usual care alone; N = 59). Treatment fidelity assessment strategies recommended by the National Institutes of Health Behavior Change Consortium for study/intervention design, therapist training, intervention delivery, and treatment receipt and enactment were applied. Ten 8-session interventions were delivered. Therapist adherence and competence, assessed using the modified MBRP Adherence and Competence Scale, were high. Among the MM group participants, 46 attended ≥4 sessions; over 90% reported at-home MM practice at 8 weeks and 72% at 26 weeks. They also reported satisfaction with and usefulness of MM for maintaining sobriety. No adverse events were reported. A systematic approach to assessment of treatment fidelity in behavioral clinical trials allows determination of the degree of consistency between intended and actual delivery and receipt of intervention.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on addiction, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Enhances Quality of Life and Positive Psychological Traits Among Head and Neck Cancer Patients: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial Mindfulness 2026
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Alleviates Depression, Anxiety, and Internalized Stigma Compared With Treatment-as-Usual Among Head and Neck Cancer Patients: Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial. Depression and Anxiety September 11, 2025
- Mindfulness-based interventions for substance use disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews October 20, 2021
- Reporting of Treatment Fidelity in Mindfulness-Based Intervention Trials: A Review and New Tool using NIH Behavior Change Consortium Guidelines. Mindfulness February 2019
Cites 6
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and 1 more in the library