Evidence-based mentoring across the educational spectrum: Introduction to the special issue

Mentoring across educational and training programs that prepare behavioral health care providers and related professionals is a critical topic and one that has been relatively neglected empirically. Articles in this special issue summarize extant literature on mentoring across several levels and contexts: undergraduate education, master\u27s level training, doctoral training (both PhD and PsyD), and internship and postdoctoral training. This introductory paper provides an overview of each contribution to the special issue, discusses the intended audience, and presents the issue as part of what should be an ongoing dialogue about best practices in mentoring. Overall, the special issue aims to raise and begin to address a number of significant questions related to where we are going as a field, who is equipped to move us in that direction, and how to mentor the next generations of those who will serve a variety of clients . © 2012 Springer Publishing Company

Changing Our Relationship With Distress and Craving: Relevance of Contextual-Behavioral Science Approaches for Behavioral Addictions

Brandther et al. (2022) identify several core processes thought to underlie behavioral addictions. Core processes of the Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model include craving, inhibitory control, maladaptive decision making, and cognitive biases. Drawing on literature with substance use disorders, Brandther et al. speculate that mindfulness-based interventions as well as neurofeedback techniques would be helpful in targeting these processes in nonsubstance addictive behaviors. After an extensive review of over 1,500 articles that met keyword criteria, 15 studies that employed mindfulness-based interventions were identified, representing the experience of 297 participants. No studies on neurofeedback interventions were found. Of the studies that assessed these processes, a majority found that mindfulness-based interventions reduced craving (4 of 6 studies) and/or mental distress (5 of 7 studies). No more than one study garnered support for each of the remaining identified core processe

Psychological Flexibility, Pain Characteristics and Risk of Opioid Misuse in Noncancerous Chronic Pain Patients

Chronic pain has an estimated annual prevalence rate between 10 and 35%. In the US, first-line treatment for chronic pain is often opioids. Objective: To our knowledge, this is the first study exploring psychological flexibility and its association with pain severity, pain interference and risk of opioid misuse in chronic pain patients. Methods: Data were collected at two outpatient pain clinics in the northeastern United States. Adults (N = 99) completed a cross-sectional survey with validated measures. Pain severity and pain interference were hypothesized to uniquely predict the risk of opioid misuse. Pain severity was hypothesized to predict pain interference. Finally, psychological flexibility was hypothesized as an indirect effect in these relationships. Results: Main findings suggest that pain severity predicts risk of opioid misuse, mediated by psychological flexibly. Pain interference also predicts risk of opioid misuse, mediated by psychological flexibility. Finally, results suggest pain severity predicts pain interference, mediated by psychological flexibility. Discussion: Implications of findings are discussed in terms of future psychological and medical assessments and interventions for chronic pain patients seeking prescription opioids

Mindfulness buffers the effects of cue-induced craving on alcohol demand in college drinkers

Alcohol consumption among young adult college students represents a significant public health problem. The presence of alcohol-related cues in drinkers’ environments can trigger powerful alcohol cravings, which may influence drinking outcomes. Less is known about how this cue-induced craving influences behavioral economic demand for alcohol. In addition, research has suggested that trait mindfulness may be an important buffer of the effects of internal states of craving on drinking decisions. Based on this literature, we hypothesized that cue-induced cravings would be associated with increased alcohol demand, an effect that would be attenuated among drinkers who have higher levels of mindfulness. Young adult college student drinkers (n = 69) completed a laboratory-based cue-induced craving assessment, a self-report assessment of trait mindfulness, and an alcohol purchase task. Findings revealed that cue-induced craving was related to higher alcohol demand. Consistent with the study hypothesis, acceptance, a component of mindfulness, buffered the effects of cue-induced craving on alcohol demand. Results raise the possibility that mindfulness-based interventions may be useful in helping disrupt the link between internal states of craving and drinking decisions in young adult college student drinkers

Brief acceptance-based intervention for increasing intake attendance at a community mental health center.

Intake no-show rates for psychotherapy vary from 20% to 57% (Swenson & Pekarik, 1988), and experiential avoidance may be related to failure to attend intake sessions. This pilot study attempted to increase intake attendance at a community mental health center by employing a brief experiential acceptance-based intervention. Those who scheduled intakes were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: orientation letter or acceptance-enhanced orientation letter; rates from these conditions were compared with a retrospective comparison control group. Participants were randomized by way of an online random number generator. Persons assigned to the orientation group did not have a higher show rate than persons within the control group (̃48% compared with ̃52%). Persons assigned to the acceptance group did have higher show rates than persons in the other two groups (̃67% compared with ̃48% and ̃52%, respectively), however this difference was nonsignificant. Results suggest that brief acceptance-based interventions should be further studied for their potential value in maximizing client attendance. © 2014 American Psychological Association

Brief acceptance-based intervention for increasing intake attendance at a community mental health center

Intake no-show rates for psychotherapy vary from 20% to 57% (Swenson & Pekarik, 1988), and experiential avoidance may be related to failure to attend intake sessions. This pilot study attempted to increase intake attendance at a community mental health center by employing a brief experiential acceptance-based intervention. Those who scheduled intakes were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: orientation letter or acceptance-enhanced orientation letter; rates from these conditions were compared with a retrospective comparison control group. Participants were randomized by way of an online random number generator. Persons assigned to the orientation group did not have a higher show rate than persons within the control group (̃48% compared with ̃52%). Persons assigned to the acceptance group did have higher show rates than persons in the other two groups (̃67% compared with ̃48% and ̃52%, respectively), however this difference was nonsignificant. Results suggest that brief acceptance-based interventions should be further studied for their potential value in maximizing client attendance. © 2014 American Psychological Association

Acceptance and commitment therapy for injured athletes: Development and preliminary feasibility of the return to action protocol

Few studies have examined the development or implementation of protocols based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to enhance sport injury rehabilitation, despite findings that suggest ACT may be an effective intervention for this purpose. The current article details the rationale for and design of Return to ACTion, an ACT-based protocol intended to target psychological flexibility and mindfulness to increase rehabilitation adherence and overall well-being for injured athletes. The initial feasibility of delivering the intervention at a Division III public university in the northeastern United States was also explored. Return to ACTion was offered in the athletic training facility to injured student-athletes during a 12-week period with recruitment assistance from the athletic trainers. Qualitative data pertaining to feasibility was collected with a log of observations maintained by the principal investigator and with verbal and electronic interactions with the athletic trainers. Although there were no participants in the intervention, there were important findings relevant to further application and research

Lectio for living: an exploration of mindful listening to poetic texts

In the ancient contemplative practice known as lectio divina, sacred texts were read slowly and carefully while listeners attended to the sounds of the performance. Rather than reading analytically for specific interpretations, participants in this mindful listening practice observed the sensory experience of sounds, allowing meanings to emerge in the mind of their own accord. Many mindfulness- and acceptance-based psychological interventions make use of similar poetry listening practices. This study examined state mindfulness among undergraduate students when listening to series of brief poetic texts. Several participant characteristics, including facets of dispositional mindfulness, psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and compassion for others, were examined as potential predictors of both state mindfulness during the practice and the perceived value of mindful listening. The “observing” facet of dispositional mindfulness significantly predicted both the “decentering” and “curiosity” dimensions of state mindfulness. Qualitative analyses revealed participants’ perspectives concerning their engagement in the experiential practice

Unique roles for students in practitioner-focused doctoral programs: Mentoring practices for an evolving landscape

Studies suggest that training that culminates in the doctor of psychology (PsyD) degree is characterized by heterogeneity. However, elements of most of these practitioner-focused doctoral programs (e.g., larger class sizes, shorter periods of training, less funding for students), as well as the widely varying professional outcomes that they lead to, offer unique challenges and opportunities regarding mentoring. This article aims to (a) trace the development and current status of controversies surrounding the PsyD model; (b) determine the unique roles in which graduates of well-designed and scientifically grounded PsyD programs may be equipped to serve; and (c) drawing on the (limited) extant literature, offer recommendations for mentoring and other elements of training for these practitioner-focused programs. Finally, we offer suggestions for future empirical studies to shed light on the relative value of various training practices. © 2012 Springer Publishing Company

Unique Roles for Students in Practitioner-Focused Doctoral Programs: Mentoring Practices for an Evolving Landscape

Studies suggest that training that culminates in the doctor of psychology (PsyD) degree is characterized by heterogeneity. However, elements of most of these practitioner-focused doctoral programs (e.g., larger class sizes, shorter periods of training, less funding for students), as well as the widely varying professional outcomes that they lead to, offer unique challenges and opportunities regarding mentoring. This article aims to (a) trace the development and current status of controversies surrounding the PsyD model; (b) determine the unique roles in which graduates of well-designed and scientifically grounded PsyD programs may be equipped to serve; and (c) drawing on the (limited) extant literature, offer recommendations for mentoring and other elements of training for these practitioner-focused programs. Finally, we offer suggestions for future empirical studies to shed light on the relative value of various training practices. © 2012 Springer Publishing Company