Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Alcohol Use Disorders in Remission

Study Summary

We propose to conduct a pilot study that will examine the utility and mechanisms of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention in reducing alcohol consumption, relapse rates, and physiological arousal to stress in adults 21 years of age and older who have met DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence within the past year but have abstained from drinking for the last thirty days. MBRP is designed to improve one's ability to self-regulate emotions, thoughts and physical states, thus reducing the need to alleviate associated discomfort through substance use. Participants assigned to the intervention group will receive an 8-week training course of MBRP over a period of nine weeks; participants assigned to the Treatment As Usual (TAU) group will continue treatment as usual, which includes utilizing their own effective strategies to refrain from alcohol use. All participants will be assessed for pretreatment severity of psychological abuse/trauma as well as pre and posttreatment psychosocial functioning (e.g., alcohol consumption, symptoms of depression and anxiety, emotion regulation/coping). The outcome of treatment will be evaluated using a) Timeline Followback drinking data and b) self-report ratings of acquisition of MBRP skills (e.g., state/trait mindfulness, acceptance and awareness, and perceived stress) and depressive and anxiety symptom severity. We hypothesize that participants who receive MBRP training will demonstrate greater acceptance and awareness, reduced cravings, and have a lower likelihood of relapse than participants in the TAU group. It is also expected that MBRP participants will demonstrate greater improvements on psychological measures of depression, anxiety, emotion regulation and coping, and show less perceived stress and physiological arousal to stress compared to TAU participants. Finally, little is known about which types of individuals are most likely to benefit from MBRP. Thus, secondary analyses will help to clarify for whom MBRP may

Primary Outcome

Difference scores on mindfulness scales (session 04 minus baseline, session 08 minus baseline, two-month follow-up minus baseline, four-month follow-up minus baseline) will be calculated. 2 group (intervention, TAU) x 5 interval (baseline, session 04, session 08, two-months follow-up, four-months follow-up) repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) will be conducted.

Interventions

• BEHAVIORAL Treatment as usual
• BEHAVIORAL Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention