Association of Loneliness and Mindfulness in Substance Use Treatment Retention

Elevated mental illness prevalence complicates efforts designed to address the opioid crisis in Appalachia. The recovery community acknowledges that loneliness impacts mood and engagement in care factors; however, the predictive relationship between loneliness and retention in medication-assisted outpatient treatment programs has not been explored. Our objectives were to identify associations between mental health factors and retention in treatment and elucidate treatment retention odds. Data were collected from eighty participants ( n = 57 retained, n = 23 not retained) of a mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) intervention for individuals receiving medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in Appalachia. Loneliness, depression, and anxiety did not differ between the retained and not retained, nor did they predict not being retained; however, mindfulness was significantly lower among those not retained in treatment compared to those retained (OR = 0.956, 95% CI (0.912-1.00), and p < 0.05). Preliminary findings provide evidence for mindfulness training integration as part of effective treatment, with aims to further elucidate the effectiveness of mindfulness therapies on symptom reduction in co-occurring mental health disorders, loneliness, and MOUD treatment retention

Anxiety · Intervention (counseling · Loneliness · Mental health · Mindfulness · Mood · Psychiatry · Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes · Clinical Psychology · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology

• Greenspace programs and recovery from substance use and mental health challenges

  Open Access•Morgan Torrance, Wendy Masterton et al.•Drugs Education Prevention and…•2026

  Añadir item

• Social isolation, loneliness, and all-cause mortality in older men and women

  Open Access•Andrew Steptoe, Aparna Shankar et al.•Proceedings of the National…•2013

  Añadir item

• Development and validation of the Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale.

  Kate H Bentley, Matthew W Gallagher et al.•Psychological Assessment•2014

  Añadir item

• Relaxing the Rule of Ten Events per Variable in Logistic and Cox Regression

  Eric Vittinghoff, Charles E Mcculloch•American Journal of Epidemiology•2007

  Añadir item

• Loneliness in the general population

  Open Access•Manfred E Beutel, Manfred Beutel et al.•BMC Psychiatry•2017

  Añadir item

• Loneliness

  Open Access•Stephanie Cacioppo, Angela J Grippo et al.•Perspectives on Psychological…•2015

  Añadir item

• Retention in medication-assisted treatment for opiate dependence

  Christine Timko, Nicole R Schultz et al.•Journal of Addictive Diseases•2016

  Añadir item

• Development and validation of an Overall Anxiety Severity And Impairment Scale (Oasis)

  Open Access•Sonya B Norman, Shadha Hami Cissell et al.•Depression and Anxiety•2006

  Añadir item

• Conceptualizing belonging

  Alyson L Mahar, Alyson Mahar et al.•Disability and Rehabilitation•2013

  Añadir item

• Vital Signs

  Open Access•Gery P Guy, Kun Zhang et al.•MMWR. Surveillance Summaries•2017

  Añadir item

• Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness

  Open Access•Ruth A Baer, Gregory T Smith et al.•Assessment•2006

  Añadir item

• Ucla Loneliness Scale (Version 3)

  Daniel W Russell•Journal of Personality Assessment•1996

  Añadir item

• Loneliness among people with substance use problems

  Open Access•Isabella Ingram, Peter J Kelly et al.•Drug and Alcohol Review•2020

  Añadir item

• Assessing Loneliness among Adults Receiving Outpatient Treatment with Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (Moud)

  Open Access•Rosalina Mills, Keith J Zullig et al.•International Journal of…•2022

  Añadir item