Attrition Rates in Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Chronic Pain: A Meta-Analysis
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) May 30, 2025 Michael Y. Wang, M. Prabhavi N. Perera, Paul B. Fitzgerald et al. 2 citations preprint
Attrition rates for mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for chronic pain average 30.1%, but vary widely depending on program structure. Stricter completion thresholds are linked to higher dropout: requiring at least six sessions to count as a completer yields a 49.7% attrition rate, versus 18% when only three sessions are required. Online delivery shows higher attrition (51.0%) than in-person delivery (25.6%), and individual formats have higher attrition than group formats. These findings suggest that modifying program structure—such as lowering session requirements, offering in-person sessions, and using group formats—could reduce participant withdrawal.