A Systematic Review of the Adherence to Home-Practice Meditation Exercises in Patients with Chronic Pain.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health March 2, 2023 Alberto Barceló-soler, Héctor Morillo-Sarto, Selene Fernández-martínez et al.
Third-wave psychotherapies that emphasize mindfulness, compassion, and acceptance are effective for chronic pain, but they typically require patients to practice meditation at home. A systematic review of 31 quantitative studies found that patients practiced around four days per week on average, though the amount of time spent varied widely. Most studies linked greater home practice to better health outcomes. The most common interventions, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, showed low adherence: patients completed only 39.6% of the recommended practice time. Adolescents practiced very few minutes, and eHealth interventions had mixed adherence. Adaptations may help chronic pain patients engage more easily and effectively in home meditation practice.