Mindfulness Induction Reduces Cue-Induced Craving in Female Methamphetamine Users

Inspired by an affective processing model of negative reinforcement, this study aimed to examine the effects of mindfulness induction on self-reported methamphetamine craving and investigate the mechanism underlying this relationship.

Participants were female methamphetamine users, with 120 in Experiment 1 (intervention: n = 59, control: n = 61) and 107 in Experiment 2 (intervention: n = 54, control: n = 53). Participants in the intervention condition listened to an 18.45-min mindful audiotape to attain a state of mindfulness. Participants in Experiment 1 listened to the audiotape after viewing images of methamphetamine to induce craving, whereas those in Experiment 2 listened to the mindful audiotape after viewing a film clip to induce craving. Experiment 1 used a rating task to measure craving and negative affect. Experiment 2 adopted a pretest-posttest design in which negative affect and craving were assessed using the PANAS scale and craving scale, respectively. Self-reported craving was the primary outcome of both experiments. ANOVAs and PROCESS macro Model 6 were used to test the direct and indirect effects of mindfulness induction on craving.

Mindfulness induction had not only a direct effect on self-reported craving but also an indirect effect by decreasing negative affect and then improving emotion regulation in Experiments 1 and 2.

The findings affirm and enrich theoretical and empirical evidence of the immediate positive effects of mindfulness induction on substance craving, suggesting its promise as a method to decrease substance craving.