Meditation as a Means to Decrease the Risk for Relapse Among Adults Seeking Treatment for Chemical Dependency

Relapse rates remain high among individuals seeking treatment for chemical dependency. Meditation has been suggested as a means to improve treatment outcomes. This study investigated iRest meditation as a means to decrease the risk for relapse among adults seeking substance abuse treatment.;This was a quantitative study with an experimental design, conducted in a residential treatment facility. The 93 participants who were recruited completed questionnaires that included: the Profile of Mood States, the Assessment of Warning signs of Relapse Scale, the 5-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Spirituality Self-Rating Scale. The meditation intervention consisted of 10 sessions administered twice a week. Data was analyzed to ascertain the overall effect of meditation on risk of relapse and possible meditating roles of mood and spirituality.;This study provides evidence for meditation as an effective chemical dependency treatment method and supports alternative methods as viable treatment approaches.