Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Alcohol Dependence: Therapeutic Mechanisms and Intervention Acceptability.
Eric L Garland, Noah M Schwarz, Amber Kelly, Ahmed Whitt, Matthew O Howard
Journal of social work practice in the addictions July 1, 2012 DOI: 10.1080/1533256x.2012.702638 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 18 |
| Population | Alcohol-dependent adults residing in a therapeutic community who had participated in a Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) intervention |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) |
| Topics | Addiction Meditation |
| Key findings | Participants' narratives suggested that MORE enhanced self-awareness and helped them cope more effectively with emotional distress and addictive impulses, and that the program was acceptable and feasible in a residential treatment setting. The authors propose that mindfulness training may assist marginalized persons in recovering from addiction. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions may decrease addictive behaviors while promoting non-reactivity to stressors. This study employed qualitative methods to enhance understanding of mindfulness-related treatment effects. Study participants were eighteen alcohol dependent adults residing in a therapeutic community who had participated in a Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) intervention. Interviews were conducted to elicit participant narratives. Responses to open-ended questions were analyzed using a grounded theory approach and the method of constant comparison. Narrative accounts suggested that MORE enhanced self-awareness while helping clients to cope more effectively with emotional distress and addictive impulses. MORE appears to be acceptable to participants and feasible to implement within a residential treatment setting. Mindfulness training may assist marginalized persons recover from addiction.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts Participants who completed a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot study | 2018 | Qualitative follow-up study using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis | n = 12 |
| Therapeutic Effects of Ritual Ayahuasca Use in the Treatment of Substance Dependence—Qualitative Results Therapists, expert researchers, and individuals who underwent ayahuasca-assisted... | 2014 | Qualitative study | n = 29 |
| Exploring ayahuasca‐assisted therapy for addiction: A qualitative analysis of preliminary findings among an Indigenous community in Canada Indigenous adults in Canada who participated in ayahuasca-assisted ceremonial retreats | 2019 | Qualitative study | n = 11 |
| Self-reported negative outcomes of psilocybin users: A quantitative textual analysis Users who self-reported psilocybin experiences on an online platform | 2020 | Qualitative study | n = 346 |
| Reports of self-compassion and affect regulation in psilocybin-assisted therapy for alcohol use disorder: An interpretive phenomenological analysis. non-Hispanic White cisgender men and women with alcohol use disorder | 2023 | Qualitative study | n = 13 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Dancing Mindfulness: A Phenomenological Investigation of the Emerging Practice. Explore 2015
- Positive psychology: mindfulness and its role within mental health nursing British Journal of Mental Health Nursing November 2, 2019
- Mindfulness Training for Primary Care for Portuguese-Speaking Immigrants: A Pilot Study Frontiers in Psychiatry September 9, 2021
- Virtual Reality Mindfulness Training for Veterans in Residential Substance Use Treatment: Pilot Study of Feasibility and Acceptability August 21, 2023
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Adolescent Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review. Pediatrics February 1, 2026
and 6 more in the library
Cites 15
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression August 21, 2006
- Neural correlates of attentional expertise in long-term meditation practitioners Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences June 28, 2007
- Minding one’s emotions: Mindfulness training alters the neural expression of sadness. Emotion February 1, 2010
- Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors August 28, 2006
- Mindfulness training reduces the severity of irritable bowel syndrome in women: results of a randomized controlled trial. The American journal of gastroenterology September 2011
and 10 more in the library