Relationship between levels of mindfulness and substance use pattern

Evaluate the association between levels of mindfulness and sociodemographic characteristics and pattern of drug use of individuals seeking treatment in a University Service Specialized in Substance Use Disorders.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study with 164 individuals over 18 years of age seeking treatment for the use of psychoactive substances in the June 2018-December 2019 period, using a questionnaire for sociodemographic data, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) self-reporting instrument, and the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test.

Results

An association was found between low levels of mindfulness mainly with the individual risk of being a medium/high-risk user of sedative-hypnotic drugs (p = 0.020). A borderline association was also found between MAAS and the risk of the individual being a medium/high risk of alcohol (p = 0.053) and with a more severe pattern of substance use (p = 0.065).

Conclusion

Individuals seeking treatment for substance use presented impairments in the attentional aspect of mindfulness and levels of mindfulness seem to protect against behaviors related to substance use, especially against the use of high/moderate risk of sedative-hypnotics.

Mindfulness; substance use disorders; mindfulness levels; substance use severity; substance abuse

	n =	Total n = 164 % or mean (CI 95%)	Mindfulness (Score)	p-value
Age* ≤30 years ≥31 years	35 126	21.7 (10.4-40.1) 78.3 (70.3-85.3)	3.1 3.3	0.204
Gender* Male Female	116 46	72.1% (63.3-80.0) 27.9 % (15.9-43.4)	3.3 3.2	0.548
Civil status* Marriage or living together Do not cohabits with companion	52 108	32.5 (20.3-47.1) 67.5 (57.9-76.2)	3.2 3.3	0.370
Personal income*^a Until R$ 954 Above R$ 955	46 118	28.2 (15.9-43.4) 71.8 (63.0-80.0)	3.1 3.3	0.321
Educational level** Elementary school incomplete Elementary school complete High school complete Higher education	21 34 81 24	13.1 (3.0-36.3) 21.2 (8.7-37.8) 50.6 (39.2-61.9) 15.1 (4.7-37.3)	3.1 3.3 3.2 3.4	0.646
Previous psychiatric treatment* Yes No	51 108	32.0 (19.1-45.8) 68.0 (57.9-76.2)	3.3 3.1	0.207
Previous hospitalization* Yes No	73 84	46.5 (34.8-58.6) 53.5 (42.3-64.5)	3.1 3.4	0.034
Presence of compulsive behaviour* Yes No	134 27	83.2 (76.2-89.4) 16.7 (6.3-38.0)	3.2 3.5	0.150
Tobacco use* Low risk Medium/high risk	49 110	30.8 (18.2-45.4) 69.2 (59.6-77.5)	3.3 3.2	0.495
Alcohol use* Low risk Medium/high risk	58 101	36.5 (23.9-49.8) 63.5 (53.1-72-7)	3.4 3.2	0.159
Cannabis use* Low risk Medium/high risk	88 71	55.3 (44.6-66.2) 44.7 (33.2-57.3)	3.3 3.2	0.350
Cocaine use* Low risk Medium/high risk	52 109	32.3 (20.3-47.1) 67.7 (58.2-76.5)	3.3 3.2	0.398
Sedative use* Low risk Medium/high risk	108 53	67.0 (57.0-75.4) 33.0 (20.0-46.3)	3.3 3.1	0.065
Number of drugs used ** 1-3 4-6 7-9	24 79 48	15.8 (4.7-37.3) 52.3 (40.3-63.2) 31.7 (18.6-46.2)	3.4 3.3 3.2	0.442
Score drug use (ASSIST – TOTAL) (mean)***	153	73.1 (33.0-113.3)	-0.189	0.019

Mindfulness (MAAS)	Crude					Adjusted

	Regression Coefficient/OR	(95% CI)	Std. error	p-value		Regression Coefficient/OR	(95% CI)	Std. error	p-value
Drug use (ASSIST - total)^a	-8.77	-15.7 to -1.7	3.5	0.014	-6.32		-13.0-0.39	3.4	0.065
Tobacco^b	0.87	0.60-1.27	0.16	0.496	1.15		0.65-2.04	0.33	0.617
Alcohol^c	0.76	0.53-1.10	0.14	0.159	0.66		0.44-1.00	0.13	0.053
Cannabis^d	0.84	0.59-1.19	0.15	0.348	1.09		0.6-2.0	0.33	0.761
Cocaine^e	0.85	0.58-1.23	2.35	0.396	0.94		0.54-1.65	0.26	0.855
Sedatives^f	0.70	0.48-1.02	0.13	0.067	0.48		0.26-0.89	0.15	0.020

Instituto de Psiquiatria da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Av. Venceslau Brás, 71 Fundos, 22295-140 Rio de Janeiro - RJ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 21) 3873-5510 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil
E-mail: editora@ipub.ufrj.br

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[1] Address for correspondence: Júlia de Souza Baptista. E-mail: julia.sbaptista@hotmail.com