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The Relation between Trait Mindfulness and Early Maladaptive Schemas in Men Seeking Substance Use Treatment

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Abstract

Recent research has examined the relation between mindfulness and substance use, demonstrating that lower trait mindfulness is associated with increased substance use and that mindfulness-based interventions help to reduce substance use. Research has also demonstrated that early maladaptive schemas are prevalent among individuals seeking substance use treatment, and that targeting early maladaptive schemas in treatment may improve outcomes. However, no known research has examined the relation between mindfulness and early maladaptive schemas despite theoretical and empirical reasons to suspect their association. Therefore, the current study examined the relation between trait mindfulness and early maladaptive schemas among adult men seeking residential substance abuse treatment (N = 82). Findings demonstrated strong negative associations between trait mindfulness and 15 of the 18 early maladaptive schemas. Moreover, men endorsing multiple early maladaptive schemas reported lower trait mindfulness than men with fewer early maladaptive schemas. The implications of these findings for future research and treatment are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported, in part, by grants F31AA020131 and K24AA019707 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) awarded to the first and last authors, respectively. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIAAA or the National Institutes of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, 1404 Circle Dr, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Ryan C. Shorey, Hope Brasfield & Gregory L. Stuart

  2. Cornerstone of Recovery, Louisville, TN, USA

    Scott Anderson

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  1. Ryan C. Shorey
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  2. Hope Brasfield
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  3. Scott Anderson
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  4. Gregory L. Stuart
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Correspondence to Ryan C. Shorey.

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Shorey, R.C., Brasfield, H., Anderson, S. et al. The Relation between Trait Mindfulness and Early Maladaptive Schemas in Men Seeking Substance Use Treatment. Mindfulness 6, 348–355 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-013-0268-9

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