EFFECTS OF A CHRISTIAN-SENSITIVE MEDITATION PROGRAM ON SUBSTANCE USE CRAVINGS AND REPETITIVE NEGATIVE THINKING FOR PERSONS IDENTIFYING AS CHRISTIANS IN SUD RECOVERY

Abstract

The body of research concerning substance use disorder (SUD), its conceptualization, and its treatment continues to expand; however, faith-congruent interventions remain inconsistently represented in empirical research, particularly among clinical populations. While psychospiritual approaches have demonstrated value across various treatment settings, Christians involved in SUD recovery—particularly those participating in medication-assisted treatment (MAT)—are underrepresented in behavioral health research and are seldom examined within mechanistic, quantitative studies. Several convergent factors, including sociocultural stigma, methodological secularism, and the limited integration of addiction neuroscience with faith-informed cognitive and emotional processes, contribute to this disparity. The present study investigated the effects of a Christian-sensitive meditation program on substance use (SU) cravings and repetitive negative thinking (RNT) among Christians in recovery from SUD. Guided by a five-facet conceptual framework that addresses issues of underrepresentation, empirical expansion, transdiagnostic mechanisms, theological integration, and clinical application, this split-plot repeated-measures experimental design compared a Christian Program (CP) to treatment-as-usual (TAU). Additionally, it examined Christian religiosity (CR) as a potential moderator. Participants (N = 24), all Christians engaged in MAT, completed validated measures of SU cravings and RNT at multiple time points. Results indicated a statistically significant Group × Time interaction for SU cravings, such that participants in the CP exhibited a more favorable pattern of craving reduction over time than those in TAU. RNT decreased significantly across time for all participants, though no differential treatment effect was observed. CR did not demonstrate significant main or interaction effects for either outcome. However, a near-significant trend suggested that individuals with higher religiosity in the CP may experience greater reductions in SU cravings. Multivariate analyses did not yield significant omnibus effects, and trend-level findings were interpreted cautiously. These findings endorse the feasibility and pertinence of implementing rigorous, faith-congruent research involving Christians in SUD recovery, and indicate that Christian-sensitive interventions may impact mechanisms relevant to relapse, such as craving trajectories. The study advances scholarly literature by incorporating sociocultural stigma considerations, transdiagnostic theories, and addiction neuroscience within a theologically coherent framework. Furthermore, it emphasizes the necessity of developing evidence-based, spiritually aligned interventions - grounded in Christian practices shaped by Scripture - aimed at increasing engagement, diminishing shame, and enhancing clinical care for this underrepresented population.