Dispositional Mindfulness and Aggression Among Adults in Residential Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Preliminary Findings From an Applied Setting

Abstract

Individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) evidenced high levels of aggression both before and after the onset of opioid misuse. Continued aggression after abstinence suggested that abstinence alone may be inadequate. The present study investigated dispositional mindfulness in relation to aggressive attitudes, and verbal and physical aggression, by reviewing medical records of 163 adults in residential treatment for OUD. Results of hierarchical regression analyses, controlling for age and alcohol/drug use and problems, revealed a negative relationship between dispositional mindfulness and both aggressive attitudes and verbal aggression. Although dispositional mindfulness negatively related to physical aggression at the bivariate level, only alcohol use and problems related to physical aggression in regression analyses. Mindfulness-based treatments may be a useful avenue for targeting aggression within this population.