A meta-analysis of the relationship between trait mindfulness and substance use behaviors

Abstract

Background The relationship between trait mindfulness and substance use behaviors has been inconsistent across studies. The current study is a meta-analysis aimed at quantifying the magnitude of this relationship, and at determining how this relationship varies in context of (1) mindfulness facets, (2) substance type, (3) sample characteristics, and (4) substance use severity. Methods A literature search was conducted using electronic databases. The literature search yielded 303 articles, but only 39 articles met inclusion criteria to be included in this meta-analysis. The relationship was quantified as a Pearson's r correlation coefficient for all studies. Results Findings indicated a small, negative, and significant relationship between trait mindfulness and substance use behaviors (r = -0.13). This relationship varied across substance type, clinical status of the sample, and substance use severity. Although not significant, relationship sizes showed different patterns across mindfulness facets. Conclusions This meta-analysis quantified the relationship between trait mindfulness and substance use behaviors, which can be used as future effect size estimates. Findings also clarify inconsistency in previous work by indicating that the trait mindfulness-substance use behaviors relationship was more robust: (1) for alcohol use and tobacco use behaviors; (2) for problematic substance use behaviors; and (3) with inpatient clinical samples. Further work should continue to examine if acting with awareness, non-judgment, and non-reactivity mindfulness facets are more robustly associated with substance use behaviors. Failure to consider these factors, or collapsing across these factors, could explain the smaller or inconsistently reported associations across previous studies.

Elucidating the Association Between Trait Mindfulness and Alcohol Use Behaviors Among College Students

“…These findings are consistent with findings from previous work with college students (Bramm et al, 2013; Christopher et al, 2012) and findings from a recent meta-analysis (Karyadi et al, 2014), but inconsistent with other work that has linked trait mindfulness to other aspects of alcohol use behaviors (Eisenlohr-Moul et al, 2012; Leigh and Neighbors, 2009) and that has failed to find a relationship (Brooks et al, 2012; Garland et al, 2012; Shorey et al, 2014). Importantly, the current study suggests that collapsing across different trait mindfulness facets might explain inconsistencies across these studies (Smith et al, 2003).…”

“…Using this conceptualization, a meta-analysis of 39 studies and found that the trait mindfulness-substance use behaviors relationship differs across specific trait mindfulness facets and substance use behaviors: (1) only acting with awareness, non-judgment, and non-reactivity are negatively associated with substance use behaviors; and (2) trait mindfulness is more strongly related with problematic substance use behaviors as compared to non-problematic substance use behaviors (Karyadi et al, 2014). However, this meta-analysis did not examine trait mindfulness and its facets in relation to separate alcohol use behaviors (e.g.…”

UPPS-P model impulsivity and marijuana use behaviors in adolescents: A meta-analysis

“…Impulsivity measures were assigned to separate impulsivity traits based on a factor analysis by Whiteside and Lynam (2001) and by previous meta-analyses (Coskunpinar et al, 2013;Dir et al, 2014;Karyadi et al, 2014;Supplemental Table 1). Marijuana-related behaviors we assigned were based on current conceptualizations of marijuana use (e.g., lifetime use, current use, frequency of use; Martin et al, 2002;Felton et al, 2015; and negative marijuana consequences (e.g., dependence, marijuana-related problems; Hendershot et al, 2011;Stautz and Cooper, 2015;Ames et al, 2005).…”

Social and environmental enrichment has different effects on ethanol and sucrose consumption in mice

“…Although the results from human studies neither support nor refute the neuroprotective benefits of environmental enrichment, research has recently become focused on developing cognitive training, such as working memory and mindfulness exercises, for attenuating and/ or preventing neuroplastic changes associated with these disorders (Rogers, Ferrari, Mosely, Lang, & Brennan, 2017;Ruffault et al, 2016;Chiesa & Serretti, 2014;Karyadi, VanderVeen, & Cyders, 2014;Lee, An, Levin, & Twohig, 2015;Tang, Tang, & Posner, 2016;Bega, GonzalezLatapi, Zadikoff, & Simuni, 2014;Corbett, Jeffers, Nguemeni, GomezSmith, & Livingston-Thomas, 2015;Milgram, Siwak-Tapp, Araujo, & Head, 2006;Zigmond & Smeyne, 2014).…”