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Between‐Session Practice and Therapeutic Alliance as Predictors of Mindfulness After Mindfulness‐Based Relapse Prevention
Author(s) -
Bowen Sarah,
Kurz Andrew S.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.20855
Subject(s) - mindfulness , psychology , alliance , psychotherapist , session (web analytics) , clinical psychology , world wide web , political science , computer science , law
Objectives Mindfulness‐based treatments have demonstrated efficacy in reducing symptoms in clinical populations. Not surprisingly, research suggests increases in client mindfulness might be a mechanism of change in these treatments. However, little is known about specific factors that lead to increased mindfulness. Design The present study is a secondary analysis of 93 adults in outpatient treatment for substance abuse, assessing effects of between‐session mindfulness practice and therapeutic alliance on levels of mindfulness after an 8‐week Mindfulness‐Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) program. Results Between‐session practice over the course of the 8 weeks was predictive of mindfulness at postcourse, although not at the 2‐month or 4‐month follow‐up assessments. Client‐rated therapeutic alliance was a significant predictor at the 2‐month follow‐up, although not at 4 months. Conclusions These findings suggest that between‐session practice and therapeutic alliance might be important factors in the initial increases in mindfulness after mindfulness‐based treatments, but factors supporting longer term mindfulness might shift over time.