Finding the right match: mindfulness training may potentiate the therapeutic effect of nonjudgment of inner experience on smoking cessation

Abstract

Mindfulness training (MT) is an emerging therapeutic modality for addictive disorders. Nonjudgment of inner experience, a component of mindfulness, may influence addiction treatment response. To test whether this component influences smoking cessation, tobacco smokers (n = 85) in a randomized control trial of MT vs. Freedom from Smoking (FFS), a standard cognitive-behaviorally-oriented treatment, were divided into split-half subgroups based on baseline Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire nonjudgment subscale. Smokers who rarely judge inner experience (nonjudgment > 30.5) smoked less during follow-up when randomized to MT (3.9 cigs/d) vs. FFS (11.1 cigs/d), p < .01. Measuring trait nonjudgment may help personalize treatment assignments, improving outcomes.

Figures

FIGURE 1

Effect of interaction of FFMQ nonjudgment and group on cigarette use across time.

FIGURE 2

Effect of interaction of FFMQ nonjudgment and group on least square means of cigarette smoking during 12 weeks of follow-up. Note: Figure represents longitudinal mixed model analysis of cigarette use during 12 weeks of follow-up with relevant covariates included in the model. p values represent Tukey post-hoc significance test between MT/High Nonjudgment and FFS/High Nonjudgment.