Research News

by B. GRACE BULLOCK

Easing Pain And Cravings

A new study from the University of Utah and Rutgers University finds that people who crave opioids and are in chronic pain may benefit from adding mindfulness to a traditional methadone treatment (MMT) program. Thirty adults with opioid use disorder and acute or chronic pain undergoing MMT were assigned to either a MindfulnessOriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) group, or a treatmentas-usual control group. The MORE participants learned mindfulness, thoughtreappraisal, and savoring skills, in two-hour weekly group sessions, in addition to receiving four hours of individual/ group therapy per week. The control group received six hours weekly of individual/ group therapy, and no mindfulness education. All participants used a smartphone app to rate their stress, pain intensity, mood, and opioid cravings. At the end of eight weeks, MORE group members said their cravings were 56% less intense than the treatment-asusual group, and they had 129% more control over their cravings. They also felt more positive and had less pain and stress. This suggests that a mindfulness intervention like MORE, when combined with MMT, may improve the effectiveness of addictions treatment for people coping with pain and opioid abuse.

Compassion Meditation For Students Of Color

Students of color often feel stress stemming from racial discrimination, and may experience depression, anxiety, and difficulties keeping up with their studies. Researchers at Claremont McKenna College conducted a pilot study to see if a peer-led intervention that included compassion meditation might help. The eight-week intervention used elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychoeducation on the impacts of anger and compassion, and mindful practices, such as compassion meditation and deep breathing. It was taught by two Asian-American undergraduate students, trained and supervised by a licensed clinical psychologist. Ten Asian undergraduate students reporting high levels of racerelated stress attended the program. Before and after the study, students took surveys about their levels of stress, depression, anxiety, self-compassion, post-traumatic stress and general distress, and ability to cope with discrimination. After eight weeks, the students reported notable decreases in distress, depression, anxiety, and trauma-related symptoms such as disturbing memories, physical reactions, and difficulty concentrating. While further research with a larger number of students is needed, this study suggests that peer-led compassion-focused programs may fill an important gap for students who face race-related stress.

MINDFUL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL?

Mindfulness education has become a mainstay at many schools. In a 2019 study published in Mind, Brain, and Education, researchers gave a mindfulness questionnaire to over 2,300 fifth- to eighthgrade students at charter schools in Boston who had not received mindfulness instruction. They then correlated the students’ mindfulness ratings with their academic records. Higher mindfulness scores were linked to a higher grade point average, greater achievements in standardized tests of math and literacy, and better academic performance overall from year to year. More mindfulness was also tied to better school attendance, fewer suspensions, and enhanced academic performance. Because students weren’t given mindfulness instruction, this study does not show that learning mindfulness at school improves student achievement or reduces behavior problems. However, a prior study examining the effects of an adaptation of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for 300 middle-school students in innercity Baltimore found that students given mindfulness instruction reported fewer psychological symptoms and less stress. Future research is needed to see if these effects persist over time and are linked to other aspects of child development and academic success.