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1: Psychol Addict Behav. 2006 Sep;20(3):343-7.Click here to read Links

Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population.

Bowen S, Witkiewitz K, Dillworth TM, Chawla N, Simpson TL, Ostafin BD, Larimer ME, Blume AW, Parks GA, Marlatt GA.

Addictive Behaviors Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. swbowen@u.washington.edu

Despite the availability of various substance abuse treatments, alcohol and drug misuse and related negative consequences remain prevalent. Vipassana meditation (VM), a Buddhist mindfulness-based practice, provides an alternative for individuals who do not wish to attend or have not succeeded with traditional addiction treatments. In this study, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of a VM course on substance use and psychosocial outcomes in an incarcerated population. Results indicate that after release from jail, participants in the VM course, as compared with those in a treatment-as-usual control condition, showed significant reductions in alcohol, marijuana, and crack cocaine use. VM participants showed decreases in alcohol-related problems and psychiatric symptoms as well as increases in positive psychosocial outcomes. The utility of mindfulness-based treatments for substance use is discussed. ((c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).

PMID: 16938074 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]