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Mindful Awareness Training: A Pilot Study Integrating Mindfulness Practices Into A Rural Jail-Based Substance Abuse Program, John Paulson, Veronica Huggins, Douglas A. Gentile

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Mindfulness practices are now utilized in a variety of behavioral healthcare settings, including the criminal justice system. This article summarizes the findings of a pilot project incorporating mindfulness practices into a jail-based substance abuse program in a rural county jail. Participants that engaged in a psychoeducational mindfulness group that utilized practices adapted from the Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) curriculum had improved scores on measures of mindfulness, self-compassion, and quality of life. A mediated path model suggested that the length of time participants were involved in the group and their estimated amount of mindfulness practice outside the group was related to …