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Objectives: This pilot was designed to study identified changes in the psychologic and physiological stress response of individuals who participated in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention while in treatment of substance abuse in a therapeutic community. Methods: Twenty-one participants in a residential therapeutic community received the intervention, which consisted of training in 5 mindfulness practices. Stress response was assessed by measuring awakening salivary cortisol and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) pre- and post-intervention. Results: Awakening salivary cortisol levels were significantly lower (P<0.0001) following the intervention. Although there was a decrease in self reported stress between the baseline measurement and the post-intervention measurement, the change in the PSS was not statistically significant (P=0.65). Conclusions: These results suggest that a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention may influence the physiological response to stress for individuals in a therapeutic community. The results also support the use of salivary cortisol as an indicator of the stress response in this setting. Future studies are needed to determine the value of this intervention as an adjunct to therapeutic community treatment.
It is not surprising that smoking abstinence rates are low given that smoking cessation is associated with increases in negative affect and stress that can persist for months. Mindfulness is one factor that has been broadly linked with enhanced emotional regulation. This study examined baseline associations of self-reported trait mindfulness with psychological stress, negative affect, positive affect, and depression among 158 smokers enrolled in a smoking cessation treatment trial. Several coping dimensions were evaluated as potential mediators of these associations. Results indicated that mindfulness was negatively associated with psychological stress, negative affect, and depression and positively associated with positive affect. Furthermore, the use of relaxation as a coping strategy independently mediated the association of mindfulness with psychological stress, positive affect, and depression. The robust and consistent pattern that emerged suggests that greater mindfulness may facilitate cessation and attenuate vulnerability to relapse among smokers preparing for cessation. Furthermore, relaxation appears to be a key mechanism underlying these associations.