“I Use the Meditation to Calm Myself Instead of Reaching for a Cigarette”: Qualitative Study of Mindfulness-Based Addiction Treatment Among Diverse Adults

Objectives Research is needed to understand experiences with mindfulness-based treatments for addictions among diverse and underrepresented populations. This study examined qualitative data from a racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse group of participants who received mindfulness-based addiction treatment (MBAT) for smoking cessation. Method Participants were n = 28 adult smokers (50% Black or African American, 32.1% White, 14.3% more than one race; 57.1% annual income ≤ US$30,000) who received eight weekly 2-hr MBAT group sessions and provided with nicotine patches to help them quit smoking. Participants then engaged in individual in-depth interviews describing their experiences and suggestions for improvement. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded using NVivo 11. Results Relevant themes included descriptions of mindfulness in participants’ own words; experiences with group sessions (e.g., perceived social support); experiences with personal mindfulness practice (including barriers and facilitators); and perceived benefits of mindfulness (e.g., management of cravings and stress; applicability to other health behavior changes). Conclusions Overall, MBAT was perceived by a diverse sample of adults as being helpful for quitting smoking and in other aspects of their lives. Participant suggestions for improving the program included ways to introduce mindfulness to those without prior experience and leveraging technology to enhance interventions. Preregistration This study is not preregistered.