Meditation and interpersonal brain connections in people who use opioids
Interpersonal Brain Function in Opioid Use
We will try meditation plus brief psychoeducation with adults who use opioids nearly every day to see if paired meditation increases physiological synchrony and empathic connection and relates to better opioid outcomes.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of California, San Diego Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (La Jolla, California) |
| Trial ID | NCT07386769 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This interventional protocol delivers guided meditation and psychoeducation in dyads to measure physiological coherence and subjective empathic attunement during shared practices. Investigators will record physiological signals and collect self-report measures of empathy while participants engage in paired meditation, then relate those measures to opioid-related outcomes. Eligible participants are adults who use prescribed or illicit opioid agonists or mixed agonist–antagonists nearly daily for at least 90 days and who speak English; individuals with cognitive impairment or active suicidal intent or psychosis are excluded. The work is carried out in person at the University of California San Diego in La Jolla, California.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults (age ≥18) using prescribed or illicit opioid agonists or mixed agonist–antagonists nearly every day for at least 90 days who can speak and understand English and do not have cognitive impairment or active suicidal intent or psychosis.
Not a fit: People with significant cognitive impairment, active suicidal intent or psychosis, those unable to attend in-person sessions, or those who do not use opioids near daily are unlikely to receive benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a low-cost, non-drug way to strengthen interpersonal connection and potentially improve opioid-related outcomes such as craving or use.
How similar studies have performed: Previous mindfulness and meditation programs for substance use have shown modest benefits for craving and relapse, but using paired dyadic physiological coherence and empathic attunement as primary targets is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Persons, aged 18 or older 2. Current near daily use of prescribed or illicit opioid agonists or mixed opioid agonist-antagonists for ≥90 days 3. Must be able to speak and understand English Exclusion Criteria: 1. Cognitive Impairment that would preclude participation in the research protocol 2. Active suicidal intent or psychosis
Where this trial is running
La Jolla, California
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, California, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Eric Garland, PhD — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Lori Kroh, BS
- Email: l1kroh@health.ucsd.edu
- Phone: 619-259-0735
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.