An integrated mindfulness meditation and acceptance and commitment therapy intervention for chronic pain: Rationale, design, and methodology of a pilot randomized controlled trial of Acting with Mindfulness for Pain (AMP).
Contemporary Clinical Trials August 1, 2022 Matthew S Herbert, Mara Tynan, Ariel J Lang et al.
A protocol describes the Acting with Mindfulness for Pain (AMP) intervention, which integrates formal mindfulness meditation into acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for chronic pain. The authors argue that formal meditation practice is a necessary component that directly targets key ACT processes and may produce larger improvements in function than standard ACT or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The ongoing pilot randomized controlled trial compares AMP to CBT among 86 Veterans with chronic pain. The trial aims to evaluate feasibility, examine preliminary treatment effects on outcomes such as pain interference, pain acceptance, and quality of life, and determine whether a full-scale trial is warranted.