title: Comparing Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy With Treatment as Usual for Opioid Dependents: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Study Protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In response to high burden of opioid abuse in Iran, Ministry of Health has launched a large-scale opioid maintenance treatment program, delivered through a network of certified drug treatment centers. To promote opioid pharmacotherapies, there is an urgent need to develop and introduce evidence-based psychosocial interventions into the network.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a randomized clinical trial (RCT) to investigate feasibility and effectiveness of adding mindfulness-based group therapy to opioid pharmacotherapies as compared to opioid pharmacotherapies alone. The primary outcomes were treatment retention and percentage of weekly morphine, methamphetamine, and benzodiazepine negative tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first RCT that explores the effectiveness of mindfulness-based relapse prevention group therapy among opioid dependent clients in Iran. The feasibility of group therapy and comparison of outcomes in intervention and control groups should be discussed in the outcome article.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imani
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Tehran Psychiatric Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Kazem
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Atef Vahid
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Tehran Psychiatric Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Banafsheh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gharraee
authors.affiliation: Family Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Habibi
authors.affiliation: Addictive Behaviors Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.affiliation: Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran ; School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noroozi
keywords: Mindfulness; Pharmacotherapies; Therapy