A Pilot Study of Mindfulness Meditation for Pediatric Chronic Pain
Children April 26, 2017 Lynn Waelde, Amanda Feinstein, Rashmi Bhandari et al.
A pilot clinical trial tested a six-week manualized mindfulness meditation intervention for 20 adolescents aged 13–17 with chronic pain. Pain intensity and depression did not change significantly, but functional disability and frequency of pain-related complaints improved with small effect sizes. Parents' worry about their child's pain decreased substantially, with a large effect size. Participants rated the intervention positively, and most suggested increasing the number of sessions. Three case examples illustrate effects and precautions. Mindfulness meditation appears feasible and acceptable for youth with chronic pain, but further research is needed to optimize the intervention and determine its efficacy.