Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Addictive Behavior, Psychiatric Distress, and Chronic Pain: A Multilevel Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) is an integrative intervention designed to ameliorate addiction, chronic pain, and psychiatric symptoms. Although multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have examined the clinical efficacy of MORE, no study has quantitatively synthesized this body of research. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis of RCTs examining the effects of MORE on addictive behaviors, craving, opioid dose, pain, and psychiatric symptoms.

Relevant manuscripts were identified through comprehensive searches of four bibliographic databases. Two- and three-level random-effects models were used to generate synthesized effect size estimates, and meta-regressions were performed to examine whether study and sample characteristics influenced the magnitude of aggregate effect sizes.

Our search identified 16 manuscripts reporting data from eight RCTs (N = 816). Moderate to small effects in favor of MORE were observed for addictive behaviors (SMC =  − .54, p = .007), craving (SMC =  − .42, p = .010), opioid dose (MC =  − 17.95, p < .001), chronic pain (SMC =  − .60, p < .001), and psychiatric symptoms (SMC =  − .34, p < .001). MORE’s effects on psychiatric symptoms and craving were not moderated by participant race, gender, age, or income.

Study findings provide empirical evidence of MORE’s efficacy for a wide diversity of individuals, and as such, MORE should now be disseminated broadly throughout the healthcare system.