Development of a Mindfulness-Based Treatment for the Reduction of Alcohol Use and Smoking Cessation

The objective of this R34 proposal is to modify and test a mindfulness-based treatment designed to reduce alcohol use and increase smoking abstinence. The target population is cigarette smokers who engage in heavy drinking, and who are interested in changing both behaviors. This project will first modify an existing mindfulness treatment to include a focus on alcohol use (Study 1). Modification of the protocol will be conducted through an iterative development process based on the existing literature, expertise of the research team, and feedback from two small groups of participants (N = 16). Next, Study 2 will examine specific benchmarks associated with the feasibility and acceptability of this treatment among a sample of our target population (N = 64). We will collect data on proximal and distal outcomes from participants randomized to Mindfulness-Based Addiction Treatment for Alcohol (MBAT- A) or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).