MBRP on Reducing Craving and Addictive Behaviour in Adults

Summary

Mindfulness-base interventions are promising interventions as an adjunctive therapy to be integrated into current existing anti-drug services. The advantages of MBRP can include: 1) having very low stigma as mindfulness courses are already widely accepted and used among different populations including healthy populations. The running of mindfulness courses can be more acceptable by the community; 2) it could be more accessible and cost-effective as it can be provided in group and in community settings; 3) it is a skill that can be learned and be used after the 8 week course , e.g. when the drug user is triggered in unforeseen circumstances, they may apply the learnt mindfulness skills to help themselves overcome the difficulties when timely professional help is not available; 4) Drug Abuse Statistics from Narcotics Division, Security Bureau of the government of Hong Kong showed that the most common reasons for recurrent drug use were to avoid discomfort of its absence (62%) and relief of depression/stress/boredom (30%).

The study objectives are as follow:

1. To evaluate the feasibility of using mindfulness- based relapse prevention (MBRP) programme among adults with substance abuse in Hong Kong;
2. To examine the changes of craving, substance use, mood symptoms, self-efficacy, acceptance, level of mindfulness and quality of life between those who have enrolled in the MBRP as compared to those in the usual care control group;
3. To evaluate the correlations between changes in substance use and craving and changes in mood symptoms, self-efficacy, acceptance, level of mindfulness, and quality of life; and
4. To study participants' characteristics related to adherence and benefits associated with MBRP.

Conditions

• Substance Abuse
• Substance Use Disorders

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Mindfulness-based Relapses Prevention (MBRP)

Manualized MBRP program is used with a central theme in each session, with meditation practices and relapse prevention exercises and discussions. Themes include the concept of "automatic pilot" and its relationship to addiction relapse, recognizing thoughts and emotions in relation to triggers of relapse, integrating mindfulness practices into daily activities, practicing mindfulness in high risk situations and the role of thoughts and emotions in relapse. Include daily homework exercises that consist of awareness exercises directed at increasing non-judgmental awareness of bodily sensations, thoughts and feelings, together with exercises designed to integrate awareness skills into daily life. Include training in mindfulness through body scan, sitting meditation, and mindful stretching exercises, to cultivate awareness during simple stretching movement.

BEHAVIORAL

Usual Care Control

Participants in the UCCG condition will remain in their standard outpatient aftercare provided by the treatment agency with an aim to maintain their abstinence with the help from social workers or other healthcare professionals through different activities, such as topics on life training skills such as rational thinking skills, grief and loss, assertiveness, self esteem, goal setting, effects of drugs on interpersonal relationships and experience. Frequency of their visits to / contacts with healthcare professionals will be recorded.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Chinese University of Hong Kong

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Samuel YS Wong · JCSPHPC, CUHK

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-08-15

Primary Completion

2024-01-31

Completion

2024-08-31

Countries

• Hong Kong

Study Locations