Importance: Back pain is among the most common, disabling, and costly conditions managed in primary care in the US, but current treatment options often do not provide adequate relief. Mindfulness-based interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP); however, mindfulness remains underused in part because it is not integrated into most outpatient...
Abstract Mindfulness is recommended as a first-line non-pharmacologic treatment for chronic low back pain (cLBP). However, accessibility is challenging. The OPTIMUM trial (Optimizing Pain Treatment In Medical settings Using Mindfulness) compared a telehealth-delivered group mindfulness program for primary care patients with cLBP to usual care. Here we describe the methods of this investigation,...
Mindfulness training has been associated with improved health outcomes among family caregivers of people living with dementia, but access to training is limited, especially in rural areas. Moreover, mindfulness training that addresses the unique perspectives of African American families is needed. The study aimed to test the feasibility and acceptability of a theory-driven, telephone-delivered...
Chronic low back pain is globally prevalent and associated with significant impairment in quality of life. Furthermore, people from historically marginalized communities are less likely to receive treatment, contributing to health inequities. Group mindfulness-based interventions improve pain and function, and virtual delivery has been demonstrated to be feasible. Little is known about how...
The association between home mindfulness practice quantity in standard length mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and chronic pain outcomes is variable. Few studies focus on abbreviated MBIs (< 8 weeks) and distinguish between formal guided practices and informal practices in daily life. To characterize home mindfulness practice and explore associations between home practice quantity and...
Military service puts service members at risk for moral injury. Moral injury is an array of symptoms (e.g., guilt, shame, anger) that develop from events that violate or transgress one's moral code. We describe adaption of in-person mindfulness training program, Mindfulness to Manage Chronic Pain (MMCP), to address symptoms of moral injury to be delivered live via the web. We discuss how we...
There have been few interventions targeted for rural African American (AA) caregivers of persons with dementia despite their unique cultural, geographic, health-related and socio-economic needs, including relatively less access to-and willingness to engage with-formal supports and resources. One effective intervention, Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), has been found to be culturally...
Abstract This pilot study assessed the feasibility and combined effect of aerobic exercise (AE) and mindfulness meditation (MM), compared with MM alone and a control (CON) condition, on stress, anxiety, and depression in high-stress college-based young adults. Thirty-two participants (84.4% F, 20.5 ± 2.7 years, 23.9 ± 5.0 kg/m2) were randomized to a four-week, AE + MM (n = 16), MM (n = 10), or...
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an evidence-based non-pharmacological approach for chronic low back pain (cLBP), yet it is not readily available or reimbursable within primary care clinics. Primary care providers (PCPs) who wish to avoid prescribing opioids and other medications typically have few options for their cLBP patients. We present the protocol of a pragmatic clinical...
OBJECTIVE The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program is effective at improving chronic pain outcomes, but the time demand hinders participation. This preliminary study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effects of providing an abbreviated mindfulness program for patients with chronic pain. DESIGN A single-arm, mixed-methods, pre-post intervention study. SETTING An...
INTRODUCTION Rates of chronic pain in military personnel are disproportionately high. Chronic pain is often associated with mental health and substance use disorders as comorbid conditions, making treatment of chronic pain complex. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are a promising behavioral approach to managing chronic pain and psychosocial sequelae. The unique nature of the military...
The purpose of the study is to examine the characteristics of various types of meditation use (i.e., mantra, mindful, and spiritual meditation) among U.S. children. Using 2017 National Health Interview Survey, we examined the prevalence, patterns, and potential predictors of meditation use among U.S. children aged 4 to 17 years. Descriptive statistics, Wald F chi-square test, and multivariable...
Purpose: Young adult (YA) cancer survivors report substantial distress, social isolation, and body image concerns that can impede successful reintegration into life years after treatment completion. Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) interventions focus on developing mindfulness and self-compassion for managing distress, hardships, and perceived personal inadequacies. An MSC intervention would be...
The aims of this mixed-method pilot study were to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary psychosocial outcomes of "Making Friends with Yourself: A Mindful Self-Compassion Program for Teens" (MFY), an adaptation of the adult Mindful Self-Compassion program. Thirty-four students age 14-17 enrolled in this waitlist controlled crossover study. Participants were randomized to...
Theory suggests that heightening state mindfulness in meditation practice over time increases trait mindfulness, which benefits psychological health. We prospectively examined individual trajectories of state mindfulness in meditation during a mindfulness-based intervention in relation to changes in trait mindfulness and psychological distress. Each week during the eight-week intervention,...
African Americans experience a disproportionate rate of stress-related health conditions compared to European Americans. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to be effective for managing stress and various stress-related health conditions. This study explored the cultural relevance of mindfulness meditation training for African Americans adults. Fifteen African American adults with past or...
This prospective, randomized controlled trial explored the feasibility and efficacy of a group program of mindfulness training, a cognitive-behavioral technique, for women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The technique involves training in intentionally attending to present-moment experience and non-judgmental awareness of body sensations and emotions. Seventy-five female IBS patients were...
BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a functional bowel disorder with symptoms of abdominal pain and disturbed defecation experienced by 10% of U.S. adults, results in significant disability, impaired quality of life, and health-care burden. Conventional medical care focusing on pharmacological approaches, diet, and lifestyle management has been partially effective in controlling...
Mindfulness is an ancient spiritual practice as well as a unique behavioral technique involving the cultivation of non-judgmental, non-reactive, metacognitive awareness of present-moment experience. Given the growing interest in mindfulness across numerous academic and clinical disciplines, an agenda is needed to guide the next wave of research. Here, we suggest four areas that, in our view,...
Mindfulness meditation is increasingly well known for therapeutic efficacy in a variety of illnesses and conditions, but its mechanism of action is still under debate in scientific circles. In this paper, we propose a hypothetical causal model that argues for the role of mindfulness in positive reappraisal coping. Positive reappraisal is a critical component of meaning-based coping that enables...