title: Mindfulness training for smoking cessation: results from a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the world, and long-term abstinence rates remain modest. Mindfulness training (MT) has begun to show benefits in a number of psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and more recently, in addictions. However, MT has not been evaluated for smoking cessation through randomized clinical trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  88 treatment-seeking, nicotine-dependent adults who were smoking an average of 20cigarettes/day were randomly assigned to receive MT or the American Lung Association's freedom from smoking (FFS) treatment. Both treatments were delivered twice weekly over 4 weeks (eight sessions total) in a group format. The primary outcomes were expired-air carbon monoxide-confirmed 7-day point prevalence abstinence and number of cigarettes/day at the end of the 4-week treatment and at a follow-up interview at week 17.
  
  
  RESULTS
  88% of individuals received MT and 84% of individuals received FFS completed treatment. Compared to those randomized to the FFS intervention, individuals who received MT showed a greater rate of reduction in cigarette use during treatment and maintained these gains during follow-up (F=11.11, p=.001). They also exhibited a trend toward greater point prevalence abstinence rate at the end of treatment (36% vs. 15%, p=.063), which was significant at the 17-week follow-up (31% vs. 6%, p=.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This initial trial of mindfulness training may confer benefits greater than those associated with current standard treatments for smoking cessation.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA. judson.brewer@yale.edu
authors: Judson A
authors: JA
authors: Brewer
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Mallik
authors: Theresa A
authors: TA
authors: Babuscio
authors: Charla
authors: C
authors: Nich
authors: Hayley E
authors: HE
authors: Johnson
authors: Cameron M
authors: CM
authors: Deleone
authors: Candace A
authors: CA
authors: Minnix-Cotton
authors: Shannon A
authors: SA
authors: Byrne
authors: Hedy
authors: H
authors: Kober
authors: Andrea J
authors: AJ
authors: Weinstein
authors: Kathleen M
authors: KM
authors: Carroll
authors: Bruce J
authors: BJ
authors: Rounsaville
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine; D002248:Carbon Monoxide