Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Alcohol Use Disorders in Remission

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Alcohol Use Disorders

In brief

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 be most effective.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT02147483
Run by: University of Virginia
People needed: 4
Starts: 2012-08-01
Expected to finish: 2018-01-01
Last updated by the study team: 2019-04-17

Who can join

Age: 21 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Males and females who have given written informed consent
21 years of age or older
DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of alcohol dependence within the last year, but have abstained from drinking for the last thirty days
Literate in English and able to read, understand, and complete the rating scales and questionnaires accurately, follow instructions, and make use of mindfulness techniques
Express a wish to remain abstinent from drinking
Willingness to participate in mindfulness techniques
Able to attend all clinic visits without interruption

You may not qualify if…

Any current Axis I DSM-IV-TR psychiatric disorder other than alcohol or nicotine dependence that, in the clinician's opinion, warrants treatment or would preclude safe participation in the protocol, including, but not limited to: psychosis, schizophrenia, dementia, schizotypal personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, primary diagnosis of eating disorder, or chronic suicidality or homicidality
Current use of Antabuse (Disulfiram) to pharmacologically treat alcohol dependence
Serious medical comorbidity requiring medical intervention or close supervision, including a history of dangerous symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol (e.g., seizures), pacemakers, heart transplant, severe arrhythmias, or active atrial fibrillation
Suicide attempt in the last thirty days
Gross neurological disease
Mental retardation, which will be assessed by the PI, postdoctoral fellows, and doctoral students in clinical psychology)
Minors below the legal drinking age will not be included.

Where it is running

University of Virginia School of Medicine — Charlottesville, Virginia, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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