# Mindful MAT Adherence: Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) to improve extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) adherence and drug-use outcomes for opioid use disorder (OUD).

> **NIH NIH R15** · WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2020 · $417,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This proposal aims to determine whether an adjunctive Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP)
treatment program improves medication adherence and reduces drug-use among opioid use disorder (OUD)
patients receiving extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX). The broad long-term objectives of this project are to
investigate how integrative pharmacological and behavioral treatments improve OUD treatment outcomes.
XR-NTX is an evidenced based medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for OUD that has demonstrated utility in
reducing opioid craving and rates of relapse and overdose deaths. However, a large portion of OUD patients
demonstrate poor adherence to this medication and subsequently face increased vulnerability to future drug-
use. Limited research has examined how behavioral treatments can increase MAT adherence. Mindfulness
(i.e., present-centered nonjudgmental awareness), associates with self-care and addiction severity among with
substance use disorders (SUD). MBRP is an evidenced-based behavioral group intervention that has
demonstrated efficacy in reducing drug-use among patients in recovery from SUD. Emerging research
suggests that combining MBRP into MAT for OUD may improve medication adherence and reduce drug-use.
The primary study aim is to determine whether MBRP, compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU), delivered to
OUD patients receiving XR-NTX through enrollment in a residential addiction treatment facility, results in
improved MAT adherence and reduced drug-use following residential discharge. As MBRP is understood to
improve self-care and mental health via increases in mindfulness and distress tolerance, the second study
aim will test whether these mechanisms of change mediate XR-NTX adherence and drug-use outcomes. As
prior trauma exposure is observed to undermine treatment efforts for SUDs a third exploratory study aim will
determine the extent to which baseline trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress undermine XR-NTX
adherence and drug-use. Expected outcomes are that MBRP participants will demonstrate (1) increased XR-
NTX adherence and reduced drug-use monitored across three-months post-treatment, (2) that increased
mindfulness and distress tolerance will mediate these outcomes, and (3) that prior trauma exposure and
posttraumatic stress will moderate outcomes for TAU participants, but not for MBRP participants.
Executing this project will provide enriching research opportunities for student research assistants. Providing
students with systematic training and opportunities for exposure to research activities is fundamental to the
study PI’s career aspirations and is an essential component to the successful execution of this research
proposal. Findings from this research proposal will contribute to endeavor to improve addiction treatment
efforts, will provide substantive opportunities for student researchers, and will provide foundational support for
the PI’s pursuit of additional R01 funding prior to the conc...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10045615
- **Project number:** 1R15DA050102-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHAEL JOHN GAWRYSIAK
- **Activity code:** R15 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $417,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10045615

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10045615, Mindful MAT Adherence: Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) to improve extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) adherence and drug-use outcomes for opioid use disorder (OUD). (1R15DA050102-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10045615. Licensed CC0.

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