Compassionate Mindfulness for Smoking Cessation in Mexico: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Introduction: Compassionate Mindfulness (APC, according to the term in Spanish) is defined as the awareness that arises through paying attention to the present moment, without judging experiences and generating actions motivated by the aspiration to free oneself and others from suffering. Currently the effectiveness of this type of treatment has gained relevance in the context of nicotine addiction treatment.

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy of an intervention based on APC as a treatment for smoking cessation in the Mexican population.

Method: a randomized clinical trial was implemented involving 62 people recruited from a specialized smoking cessation clinic in Mexico City. These people were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions: the control group received the treatment provided regularly at the clinic, while the experimental group received an APC-based treatment.

Results: at the end of the treatment, participants who received the APC-based treatment were more likely to quit smoking (OR = 4.33, p .025, IC 95% 1.2-15) and they also displayed greater benefits to their mental health in some of the variables evaluated.

Discussion and conclusion: APC is an effective intervention for smoking cessation in Mexican patients, since it has important benefits to the patient’s general mental health, and it is important to continue exploring its effects on both the maintenance of abstinence and relapse of tobacco consumption.