Abstract
Abstract Mindfulness originated from Buddhist contemplative practice 2500 years ago. Mindfulness has increasingly been integrated into a variety of health care programs to address issues such as chronic pain, mental health problems, and addictions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of teaching problem gamblers about mindfulness meditation as part of regular treatment for problem gambling. The study evaluated an 8-week mindfulness group program that included 17 clients from the Problem Gambling Institute of Ontario at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (88% male) using questionnaires that were distributed before the first group session and after the final group session. The evaluation was a mixed method design that included both qualitative and quantitative feedback about the group. All of the participants showed an improvement in their levels of mindfulness after the 8-week treatment program. The Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) scores increased from a pre-test score of 3.65 (SD = 1.01) to a post-test score of 4.40 (SD = 0.78). Qualitative feedback about the group also highlighted a number of improvements in the clients’ lives that included being more in control, relaxed and able to stay in the now. The results indicated that mindfulness was successfully taught during the 8-week group program. This study evaluated the suitability of mindfulness as an intervention as part of a problem gambling treatment service. However, the study did not evaluate whether mindfulness improved the clients’ ability to resist relapse. Future studies are needed to examine the long-term impact of mindfulness sessions.
Highlights
The concept of mindfulness originated from Buddhist contemplative practice approximately 2500 years ago
The purpose of the current study was to further this body of research by evaluating whether a mindfulness-based approach could be successfully integrated into the problem gambling treatment service offered by the Problem Gambling Institute of Ontario (PGIO) at the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto
Overview of mindfulness-based approaches Marlatt (1985a) was one of the first researchers in the addiction field to recognize the potential for the use of meditation as a coping strategy for individuals who were at risk for relapse. He suggested that practicing meditation could help in relapse prevention (RP) by providing benefits such as reducing stress and achieving balance in one’s life. “[O] ne of the most significant effects of regular meditation practice is the development of mindfulness — the capacity to observe the ongoing process of experience without at the same time becoming ‘attached’ or identifying with the content of each thought, feeling, or image
Summary
The concept of mindfulness originated from Buddhist contemplative practice approximately 2500 years ago. Overview of mindfulness-based approaches Marlatt (1985a) was one of the first researchers in the addiction field to recognize the potential for the use of meditation as a coping strategy for individuals who were at risk for relapse. He suggested that practicing meditation could help in relapse prevention (RP) by providing benefits such as reducing stress and achieving balance in one’s life. If clients can acquire this ability through the regular practice of meditation, they may be able to ‘detach’ themselves from the lure of urges, cravings, or cognitive rationalizations that may otherwise lead to a lapse” (p. 319)
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