Article

Pilot randomised controlled trial of a brief mindfulness-based intervention for those with persistent pain

Details

Citation

Howarth A, Riaz M, Perkins-Porras L, Smith JG, Subramaniam J, Copland C, Hurley M, Beith I & Ussher M (2019) Pilot randomised controlled trial of a brief mindfulness-based intervention for those with persistent pain. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 42 (6), pp. 999-1014. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-019-00040-5

Abstract
A pilot-randomised controlled trial (RCT) examined the effects of a brief mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on persistent pain patients and assessed the feasibility of conducting a definitive RCT. A brief (15 min) mindfulness body-scan audio was compared with an active control administered in a clinic and then used independently over 1 month. Immediate effects of the intervention were assessed with brief measures of pain severity, distraction and distress. Assessments at baseline, 1 week and 1 month included pain severity and interference, mood, pain-catastrophizing, mindfulness, self-efficacy, quality of life and intervention acceptability. Of 220 referred patients, 147 were randomised and 71 completed all assessments. There were no significant immediate intervention effects. There were significant positive effects for ratings of intervention ‘usefulness’ at 1 week (p = 0.044), and pain self-efficacy at 1 month (p = 0.039) for the MBI group compared with control. Evidently, it is feasible to recruit persistent pain patients to a brief MBI study. Strategies are needed to maximise retention of participants.

Keywords
Persistent pain; Mindfulness; Intervention; Randomised controlled trial; Pilot

Journal
Journal of Behavioral Medicine: Volume 42, Issue 6

StatusPublished
Publication date31/12/2019
Publication date online22/04/2019
Date accepted by journal04/04/2019
URLhttp://hdl.handle.net/1893/29462
ISSN0160-7715
eISSN1573-3521

People (1)

Professor Michael Ussher

Professor Michael Ussher

Professor of Behavioural Medicine, Institute for Social Marketing