The goal of this research is to determine if combining pharmacological and behavioral treatments has implications for smoking cessation. Objectives of this study include (1) to test the effects of MT combined with inOT on the ability to resist smoking on the smoking lapse task following exposure to an acute social evaluative stressor (2) to test the effects of MT combined with inOT on smoking urge, nicotine withdrawal, anxiety and cortisol levels following exposure to an acute social evaluative stressor, and (3) to test potential psychophysiological mechanisms of action linking MT and smoking behavior.

The “delay score” on the Smoking Lapse Analogue Task, self-reported questionnaire items, and cortisol levels from each group will be analyzed using mixed linear models (MLMs). To test objectives 1 and 2, we will analyze the “delay score” on the Smoking Lapse Analogue Task, self-reported questionnaire items, and cortisol levels from each group using mixed linear models (MLMs). Treatment group (MT+inOT, MT+placebo, and shamMT+placebo) will be an independent effect and we will control for sex, FTND, and trait levels of mindfulness, anxiety and depressive mood. For objective 2, we will add time of assessment as an independent factor for all within-session repeated measures (i.e., cardiovascular, cortisol, and subjective-effects). For the third objective, separate mediational models (using MacKinnon and Fairchild method) will be tested for each mediator, with treatment group as a between-subject independent variable and “delay score” as a dependent variable.

Berkovits, A., Kirkpatrick, M., Black, D.S. (2018, Nov). Mindfulness training plus oxytocin to reduce smoking and craving among smokers in withdrawal: Phase I and II trials. Poster presented at USC 3rd Annual Integrative Health Conference. (Honorable Mention award)

Black, D.S., Sussman, S., Johnson, A, Milam, J. (2012). Trait mindfulness helps shield decision-making from translating into health-risk behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health, 51(6): 588-592.