The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Intervention on Emotion-Related Impulsivity in Addictive Disorders

Emotion-related impulsivity is a well-established risk factor for a multitude of addictive disorders. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) target a number of interrelated processes involved in both impulsivity and addiction, suggesting that they may be especially well-suited to address this confluence. The aim of this paper was to review the effects of MBIs on emotion-driven impulsivity in addiction. Mindfulness training has been shown to counter a number of neurocognitive mechanisms linked with addiction and emotion-driven impulsivity, including cognitive control, attention regulation, response inhibition, negative urgency, and positive urgency. Interventions that address emotion-driven impulsivity may offer substantial benefits across a wide range of addictive disorders. MBIs have emerged as a promising means for countering impulsivity in addiction. However, more research is needed to better understand how MBIs may impact emotion-related impulsivity and, in turn, how these changes impact addictive behaviors.