Development of a Novel Behavioral Intervention for Opioid Use Disorders

The opioid crisis is a serious public health concern and finding appropriate treatment modalities for opioid use disorder (OUD) has become a national priority. Evidence-based treatment recommendations from national organizations have indicated mixed results. In this article, we discuss the background knowledge and significance of the problem, and selected theoretical frameworks and review of the literature about several effective interventions, such as mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy. However, there is a lack of a standardized behavioral intervention for OUD. In response to this gap, our team developed a manual-based treatment protocol for use in group settings of individuals with OUD who are also on medications. We describe the methods used to develop the manual, including detailed information about the 12 intervention sessions. The article concludes with discussion about implications and future directions for use of the manual.