About this trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to examine the effects of mindfulness based relapse prevention on self-regulation overtime and drinking in daily life through the use of wearable heart rate sensors during mindfulness groups and answering assessment questions 3 times per day during the course of treatment. The main questions that it aims to answer are:
1. What changes in self-regulation as measured through heart rate variability are observed during a mindfulness intervention and how do those self-regulatory changes affect drinking after treatment? 2. How do changes in heart rate variability affect drinking, craving, and negative affectivity in daily life?
Participants will:
1. Answer questions related to their mood and drinking behaviors. 2. Wear their sensors during an 8-week treatment period with 1 group per week. 3. Answer questions 3 times a day during the treatment period. 4.) Return their sensors via a pre-stamped package and answer questions about their mood and drinking behaviors 3- and 6-months after the mindfulness groups end.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
18 years of age or older
Meet criteria for a moderate to severe alcohol use disorder within the previous 3-months.
Able to attend group meetings at the time listed on the recruitment materials.
Willing to wear a sensor for the 8-week intervention period and return the sensor after the immediate follow-up.
Disqualifiers
Current symptoms of psychosis or mania.
Have a substance use disorder requiring a higher level of care than outpatient treatment (e.g., severe alcohol use disorder requiring inpatient detoxification).
Have a history of pulmonary or cardiovascular disease that interferes with sensor data collection and HRV metrics (i.e., ectopic beats, arrythmia, congenital heart disease).
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Mindfulness based relapse prevention
Treatment groups
Sponsors and collaborators
University of New Mexico
Lead sponsor
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Collaborator