LAUSR

OBJECTIVE Risk for prescription opioid addiction is an endemic public health concern, especially for adults with chronic pain. This study examined craving as a mediator from pain to opioid use outcomes during prescription opioid addiction treatment and tested whether counseling in pain coping skills moderated the effects of craving on treatment outcomes. METHOD Secondary analysis on a sample (N = 148) randomized to standard or enhanced counseling for 12 weeks with adjunct opioid maintenance medication. Multilevel analyses examined mediated effects between weekly pain, craving, and opioid use, and tested the interaction between craving and a counseling module on pain coping skills. RESULTS Greater pain predicted greater craving (β = 0.25, p < .001), which predicted next-week opioid use (β = 0.17, p < .001). A statistically significant indirect effect of craving (β = 0.04, 95% CI [0.02, 0.06]) mediated 95% of the total effect from pain to opioid use. A significant interaction (b = -0.22, p < .01) revealed that after receiving the pain coping module, the association between craving and next-week opioid use was reduced, with greater exposure to the module associated with stronger effects (b = -0.12, p < .01). CONCLUSION More severe pain predicts greater opioid use due to the association between pain and cravings. Pain coping skills counseling suppressed the association between cravings and opioid use. For adults with chronic pain receiving treatment for prescription opioid addiction, interventions that address cravings through behavioral pain coping skills may be crucial for achieving optimal treatment outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).