Integrating breathing-based stress reduction to address stress and alcohol misuse: A novel digital intervention delivered via telehealth and smartphone application

Background

Stress is a critical factor in the development and progression of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and is associated with negative treatment outcomes. Despite its significance, few behavioral interventions specifically address the stress-related pathology underlying AUD, including stress-induced drinking. To address this gap, this study developed and piloted a novel digital intervention, Emotion Regulation via Breathing for Alcohol Misuse (EBA), targeting stress and alcohol misuse.

Method

EBA integrates breathing-based stress regulation techniques with cognitive-behavioral strategies to address stress and hazardous drinking, delivered through telehealth and smartphone applications. The effectiveness of EBA was assessed pre- and post-intervention for stress and alcohol-related behaviors across two separate samples of individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), each receiving a different EBA intervention dose. Study 1 included 27 individuals with AUD who completed a brief 4-week EBA intervention, followed by a 30-day monitoring period. Study 2 involved 64 individuals with AUD who completed an 8-week EBA intervention, with a 90-day follow-up. During the intervention periods, participants engaged in brief daily self-guided breathing exercises via a smartphone app.

Results

Results demonstrated significant postintervention reductions in alcohol misuse severity, consumption, and cravings, as well as decreases in stress, anxiety, and depressed mood compared to baseline (ps < 0.001), alongside improved self-control (ps < 0.001). These improvements were maintained throughout the follow-up periods (ps < 0.001) in both studies. Furthermore, reductions in stress and anxiety, along with improved self-control during the intervention, were associated with decreased alcohol misuse severity (ps < 0.05).

Conclusions

The findings demonstrate the promising initial effectiveness of EBA in reducing stress- and alcohol-related behaviors. Sustained improvements observed during follow-up highlight the intervention's potential as a viable treatment option. These positive findings support the need for efficacy testing in future randomized controlled trials to establish EBA as an effective treatment approach for managing AUD, particularly in addressing stress-related alcohol misuse.