The current study is the first randomized-controlled trial evaluating the feasibility and initial efficacy of an 8-week outpatient Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) program as compared to treatment as usual (TAU). Participants were 168 adults with substance use disorders who had recently completed intensive inpatient or outpatient treatment. Assessments were administered pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 2 and 4 months post-intervention. Feasibility of MBRP was demonstrated by consistent homework compliance, attendance, and participant satisfaction. Initial efficacy was supported by significantly lower rates of substance use in those who received MBRP as compared to those in TAU over the 4-month post-intervention period. Additionally, MBRP participants demonstrated greater decreases in craving, and increases in acceptance and acting with awareness as compared to TAU. Results from this initial trial support the feasibility and initial efficacy of MBRP as an aftercare approach for individuals who have recently completed an intensive treatment for substance use disorders.
ONCERNS ABOUT HIGH PUBLIC system costs incurred by chronically homeless individuals have inspired nationwide efforts to eliminate chronic homelessness. 1,2 Homeless people have high barriers to health care access generally but use acute care services at high rates. [3][4][5] Mortality rates among homeless adults are 3 or more times that of the general population. 6,7 Chronically homeless people with severe alcohol problems, sometimes referred to as chronic public inebriates, are highly visible on the streets and are costly to the public through high use of publicly funded health and criminal justice systems resources. [8][9][10][11][12] Typical interventions such as shelters, abstinence-based housing, and treatment programs fail to reverse these patterns for this population. 10,13 Health conditions and mortality rates within this population are similar to those found in developing countries. 14,15 Average age at death is estimated to be 42 to 52 years, with 30% to 70% of deaths related to alcohol. 7,16,17 The provision of housing reduces hospital visits, admissions, and duration of hospital stays among homeless individuals, 5,18,19 and overall public system spending is reduced by nearly as much as is spent on housing. 19 One type
Community-based participatory research (CBPR) answers the call for more patient-centered, community-driven research approaches to address growing health disparities. CBPR is a collaborative research approach that equitably involves community members, researchers, and other stakeholders in the research process and recognizes the unique strengths that each bring. The aim of CBPR is to combine knowledge and action to create positive and lasting social change. With its origins in psychology, sociology, and critical pedagogy, CBPR has become a common research approach in the fields of public health, medicine, and nursing. Although it is well aligned with psychology's ethical principles and research aims, it has not been widely implemented in psychology research. The present article introduces CBPR to a general psychology audience while considering the unique aims of and challenges in conducting psychology research. In this article, we define CBPR principles, differentiate it from a more traditional psychology research approach, retrace its historical roots, provide concrete steps for its implementation, discuss its potential benefits, and explore practical and ethical challenges for its integration into psychology research. Finally, we provide a case study of CBPR in psychology to illustrate its key constructs and implementation. In sum, CBPR is a relevant, important, and promising research framework that may guide the implementation of more effective, culturally appropriate, socially just, and sustainable community-based psychology research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
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