# Development of a Mobile Mindfulness Intervention for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD among OEF/OIF Veterans

> **NIH NIH R34** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 2020 · $255,893

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The long-term goal of this proposal is to improve treatment outcomes for OEF/OIF veterans with alcohol use
disorder (AUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who are not currently accessing care through the
Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (VA) or other settings. Many OEF/OIF veterans struggle with heavy
drinking and related consequences and this can be especially pronounced with the co-occurrence of PTSD.
Prior research has found aspects of self-regulation (emotion regulation, impulse control), stress, and craving to
be important putative targets in AUD and PTSD symptom reduction. However, with upwards of 50% of
veterans who have behavioral health needs not seeking treatment, it is imperative to utilize advances in
technology to develop and test interventions that can reach non-treatment seeking veterans and target both
symptoms of PTSD and AUD. As the proposed mechanisms (e.g., self-regulation) are becoming better
understood regarding how they affect PTSD and AUD outcomes, approaches should focus on targeting these
mechanisms and evaluating if they are essential facilitators of change. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI)
can target such mechanisms, but a gap in the knowledge persists regarding the utility of MBIs with veterans
who screen positive for PTSD and AUD. Therefore, we propose to improve treatment outcomes for OEF/OIF
veterans with PTSD and AUD by targeting self-regulation, stress, and cravings. We will develop and test a
novel mobile MBI, Mobile Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention (mMBRP), that will improve upon evidence-
based in-person and group MBRP by reaching veterans outside of treatment settings. The engaging and easy-
to-use mobile MBI integrates relapse prevention, stress reduction, and self-regulation skills and is relevant to
issues surrounding stigma and barriers that veterans face when seeking services. The central hypothesis will
be tested through a focus on three specific aims: (1) refine and add MBRP content to the popular VA-
developed Mindfulness Coach mobile application through a beta testing phase where we test for feasibility and
acceptability of the app, (2) pilot test the efficacy of the mMBRP mobile app on alcohol use and PTSD
outcomes compared to control, and (3) assess mechanisms of change such as self-regulation, stress, and
cravings, as well as exploratory moderators of gender, race/ethnicity, and recency of discharge, on mMBRP
effects. The unique strengths of this proposal are its focus on an underserved population, utilization of mobile
technology for intervention delivery, and use of a novel intervention known to effectively target self-regulation
and stress. The expected results will define a viable and easy-to-access treatment that can improve both AUD
and PTSD symptoms. Results of this study will have a positive impact on substance use outcomes for those
who have experienced traumatic events and will identify mechanism of action for treatment success. The app
can be ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9979357
- **Project number:** 1R34AA027845-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Jordan P Davis
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $255,893
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-15 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9979357

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9979357, Development of a Mobile Mindfulness Intervention for Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD among OEF/OIF Veterans (1R34AA027845-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9979357. Licensed CC0.

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