Promoting holistic well-being in addiction treatment: effects of the flourishing intervention in hospitalized patients.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of the flourishing intervention (FI) vs. usual care (UC) on craving symptoms, mental health, and quality of life among hospitalized crack/cocaine users.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental mixed-methods study was conducted in a Brazilian psychiatric hospital. Participants were inpatients (n=119) undergoing detoxification and met ICD-10 criteria for crack/cocaine use disorders. The FI included 12 meetings (10 group sessions) on virtues and human values. Outcomes included crack/cocaine craving (primary), personal flourishing, depression, anxiety, impulsivity, quality of life, readiness to change, religiosity, and spirituality. Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured interviews.

RESULTS

Post-treatment, the FI group (n=79) had slightly lower scores on the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire-Brief (CCQ) measure (d = -0.21) compared to the UC group (n=40); the difference between the two groups on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of crack/cocaine craving (d = -0.03) was negligible. Within-group analyses for the FI group supported post-intervention improvements in craving (CCQ: d = -0.51; VAS: d = -0.61) and several secondary outcomes. Qualitative findings (n=30) highlighted the value of group therapy, motivation to quit drugs and to reach personal goals, positive emotions, and strengthening protective factors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided preliminary evidence suggesting that the FI may be beneficial in reducing craving symptoms and promoting personal flourishing.