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Research Projects

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Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP)

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MBRP Manual

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Professional Trainings

Over the past few years, we have conducted several 5-day residential MBRP trainings for professionals, at retreat centers in California and New York. Sponsored and organized by the UCSD school of medicine, these trainings have received very high feedback scores and very positive evaluations from participants.
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Randomized Controlled Trials

Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention: Efficacy and Mechanisms
Project Duration: 8/1/09-7/31/11
Sponsor: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Amount: $1,415,659

The broad, long-term objective of this randomized clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy, moderators and mechanisms of change of two cognitive-behavioral aftercare treatments for alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorders in preventing AOD relapse compared to standard aftercare (SA) offered in the community. The two cognitive-behavioral aftercare treatments are relapse prevention (RP; Daley & Marlatt, 2006) and Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP), which integrates mindfulness meditation and RP aftercare components.

Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention.
Project duration: 6/2006-6/2008
Sponsor: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Award: $415,700

The broad, long-term objective of this project is to improve treatment for alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorders through development of an innovative alternative approach to preventing AOD relapse.

The specific aims of the research are 1) To develop a manual and therapist adherence/competence measures to standardize delivery of a Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) program for post-treatment relapse prevention of AOD problems, which will be patterned after Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression (Segal, Teasdale & Williams, 2002) and incorporate cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention strategies (Daley & Marlatt, 1997); 2) To conduct a pilot randomized clinical trial to assess the feasability of recruiting and retaining individuals for a large scale study and to determine effect size of MBRP in comparison to cognitive-behavioral group relapse prevention based on Marlatt's Relapse Prevention model (RP) alone (Daley & Marlatt, 1997). Both MBRP and RP conditions will be compared to a treatment as usual control group (TAU) in a sample of participants enrolled in continuing care following Intensive Outpatient Treatment, at baseline, post-treatment, 2-, and 4-months following the baseline assessment; and 3) Evaluate potential mediators of MBRP and RP treatment efficacy. We hypothesize that both MBRP and RP will be more efficacious than TAU. We hypothesize MBRP efficacy will be mediated by meta-cognitive processes, thought suppression, locus of control, skills to cope with urges and cravings, negative affect and meditation practice. We hypothesize RP efficacy will be mediated by self-efficacy, negative affect and coping abilities.

This research builds on over 25 years of developing and implementing RP interventions. MBRP incorporates specific alcohol and drug-focused cognitive therapy techniques with an additional emphasis on mindfulness skills, and builds upon the Investigator's prior work on meditation-based interventions.