Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
December 1, 2024
Markus Ploesser, David Martin
18 citations
A systematic review of 21 studies found that mindfulness meditation relieves pain through multiple mechanisms, including modulation of brain activity in regions such as the anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula, and enhancement of structural and functional connectivity. The analgesic effects persist even when opioid receptors are blocked, indicating a nonopioidergic pathway. Pain acceptance and altered pain control beliefs serve as key mediators. Long-term practice increases pain threshold and reduces unpleasantness via heightened activity in salience and attentional control regions. Most studies involved healthy subjects with experimental pain, so findings require careful interpretation for chronic pain populations.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
February 1, 2025
Anthony Morales, Inger Burnett-Zeigler
17 citations
A scoping review of 13 studies found that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) culturally adapted for communities of color most often used surface-level adaptations—modifying language, content, format, or delivery. These adapted MBIs showed significant improvements in depression, anxiety, and stress. The review suggests that both surface-level and deep-structure adaptations are necessary to make MBIs relevant, acceptable, and sustainable for diverse populations.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
January 1, 2022
Helané Wahbeh, Garret Yount, Cassandra Vieten et al.
9 citations
People who feel more interconnected with others and nature tend to report better well-being, including more positive emotions and compassion, and less pain and sleep disturbance. In a study of adults attending personal development workshops, measures of interconnectedness were positively correlated with well-being and positive affect, and negatively correlated with sleep disturbance and pain. Extended perception tasks showed no link to interconnectedness or well-being. After workshops, participants reported improved well-being, interconnectedness, positive emotion, and compassion, and reduced sleep disturbances, negative emotion, and pain. Workshop formats involving lecture, small groups, pairs, and discussion predicted well-being improvements, as did content including meditation and technology tools. Meditation was the most consistent predictor of positive well-being changes. Conscientiousness was the only individual characteristic that predicted changes, but its effects were mixed.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
September 1, 2024
Adam W. Hanley, Ayaka Lingard, Eric L Garland
7 citations
A 2-hour single-session version of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (One MORE) improved chronic pain patients' pain catastrophizing, pain intensity, pain interference, physical function, sleep, anxiety, and depression through a 3-month follow-up. The intervention also increased mindfulness, positive reappraisal, savoring, and self-transcendence. These results from a waitlist-controlled randomized trial with 40 participants suggest that a brief, scalable, low-cost nonpharmacologic treatment may help address the logistical barriers of longer 8-week mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
October 1, 2024
Skylar Kelsven, Caitlin L Mclean, Kiara Widjanarko et al.
3 citations
In veterans with military-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), certain pre-existing mindfulness skills influenced how well they responded to a Mantram Repetition Program (MRP) compared with present-centered therapy (PCT). Among 173 veterans, those with a greater ability to describe their internal experiences showed lower PTSD hyperarousal symptoms after MRP than after PCT. Conversely, veterans with lower nonreactivity to internal stimuli experienced greater reductions in PTSD avoidance and numbing symptoms and insomnia with MRP than with PCT. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire may help predict which patients benefit most from mindfulness-based interventions like MRP.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
June 1, 2024
Holger C Bringmann, Anne Berghöfer, Michael Jeitler et al.
3 citations
A meditation-based lifestyle program (MBLM) increases spirituality more than standard therapy in patients with mild-to-moderate depression. Among 81 patients, those who began with an interest in spirituality or who already practiced spiritual mind-body activities showed greater improvement in depression severity after six months. Patients who regularly performed such practices benefited equally from either the meditation program or standard treatment, while those who did not engage in spiritual mind-body practices fared worse with standard therapy alone. The findings suggest that incorporating spiritual practices into depression treatment may be especially helpful for patients who are not already engaged in them.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
June 27, 2025
Hemika Vempalli, Nabeeha Affan, Katherine Snedaker et al.
1 citation
A survey of women in a social media support network for concussion found that 83% of respondents were interested in a brain-injury-tailored yoga and meditation program. Interest was driven by prior yoga experience, health and well-being benefits, and balance, healing, or mindfulness. Among the 12% not interested, reasons included physical disabilities, time constraints, and enrollment in similar programs. The findings suggest high acceptability of such complementary approaches among female patients with persistent postconcussion symptoms, who are especially vulnerable to prolonged recovery.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
April 1, 2025
My Ngoc To, Nicole Nicotera, Kaipeng Wang
1 citation
Nearly 6% of U.S. adults practice combined mind-body practices (seated meditation plus movement-based practices like yoga, Tai Chi, or qigong). Higher education levels were linked to greater use of all forms of mind-body practices. Racial-ethnic disparities appeared for movement-based and combined practices. People with moderate or severe psychological distress were about twice as likely to engage in combined practices (moderate distress: relative risk ratio 1.92; severe distress: relative risk ratio 1.96), as were those with chronic pain. The authors suggest healthcare providers recommend combined mind-body practices as an additional resource for patients with psychological distress or mild chronic pain, and that increasing access in educational settings could reduce racial-ethnic disparities.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
September 1, 2024
Hua-Liang Chen, Bing-Hua Li, Yi-Nuo Du et al.
1 citation
Mindfulness-based therapy appears to be an effective treatment for chronic pain in military personnel and veterans. A systematic review of nine studies, involving 507 veterans and 56 active-duty female service members, found that after mindfulness-based interventions, all measured indicators of pain and related distress improved. The review highlights that these interventions were either integrated into or adapted from standard mindfulness courses. Future research should determine the optimal course content and duration for delivering mindfulness-based therapy in this population.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
July 20, 2026
Aysel A. Özdemir, Funda Kavak Budak
A 6-week mindfulness-based yoga program improved psychological well-being and happiness in people diagnosed with schizophrenia. In a randomized controlled trial, 96 participants from two community mental health centers in Türkiye were assigned to either a yoga group (12 sessions over 6 weeks) or a control group receiving routine care. After the program, the yoga group scored significantly higher on psychological well-being (36.50 vs. 12.86) and happiness (21.44 vs. 10.58) compared to the control group. No adverse events occurred. The findings suggest mindfulness-based yoga is a promising complementary intervention, though larger and longer studies are needed.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
June 4, 2025
Evelyn Arana-Chicas, Po-Ju Lin, Hongying Sun et al.
A yoga program for cancer survivors showed potential to improve fatigue and quality of life in a small sample of racially and ethnically diverse survivors, though improvements were not clinically meaningful. Forty-nine participants (mean age 53, 96% female, 74% with breast cancer) completed a 4-week program integrating gentle Hatha and Restorative Yoga for 150 minutes weekly. Fatigue improved by 1.55 points on a standard scale, total quality of life by 3.04 points, and the physical component of quality of life showed a significant improvement of 1.32 points. Most participants found the program beneficial for managing symptoms and would recommend it to other survivors.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
May 28, 2025
Nida Paracha
Intention and attention are conceptually and temporally distinct embodied phenomena, not merely mental acts, and understanding their differences requires interdisciplinary dialogue between psychedelic and biofield therapies. Based on two years of ethnographic research at psychedelic-assisted therapy retreats in the Netherlands and Mexico and biofield settings in the United States and Europe, including practices like Reiki and substances such as ayahuasca and psilocybin, the study highlights that these distinctions have divergent healing effects. The findings suggest that scientists studying these therapies should account for these differences to more accurately understand healing mechanisms across both forms of therapy.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
June 1, 2024
Hannah Maja Figura, Felix Joyonto Saha, Sonja Seibt et al.
A 21-day online meditation course based on the expansion method showed potentially beneficial effects on mental health, with medium-sized improvements in mental health, flourishing, and negative affect after one month, and small improvements in physical health, stress, positive affect, self-efficacy, spirituality, and mysticism at three months. The study included 359 participants, mostly German women with an average age of 51, and the course content was positively evaluated. These findings suggest the intervention may support mental health, but randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm effectiveness.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
May 1, 2026
Steven D. Pratscher, Lloyd Lalande, Allison Davis et al.
A single session of Guided Respiration Mindfulness Therapy (GRMT), an integrative breathwork intervention involving one hour of conscious connected breathing with somatically focused mindfulness and relaxation, was highly acceptable and satisfying to adults with chronic pain. Among 11 enrolled participants, 10 completed the session; all recommended the intervention to others. Large, clinically meaningful improvements in pain intensity and pain interference occurred from baseline to 2-week and 6-week follow-ups, with mean differences of -2.9 and -3.5 respectively. The findings demonstrate proof of concept and warrant further research.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
March 1, 2026
Alyssa C Ehrhardt, Matthew J Rogatzki
A scoping review analyzed 72 studies on yoga, meditation, and mindfulness (YMM) as treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI). Most studies used pre-post or exploratory designs with no control group, involving up to 29 female Caucasian subjects aged 45-54 years, typically one month after mild to severe TBI. Mindfulness was the most common modality, delivered in person, weekly for 10-30 minutes over 7-8 weeks. Outcome measures primarily assessed quality of life, cognitive function, and depression. Most studies were conducted in the United States after 2010 and published in Brain Injury without funding. The review highlights a need for control groups and consistent outcome measures.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
April 1, 2025
Cecile A Lengacher, Gizem Hueluer, Julia R. Wang et al.
A randomized clinical trial tested whether improvements in cognitive functioning and perceived cognitive abilities from a 6-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program for breast cancer survivors (MBSR[BC]) were mediated by increased mindfulness, decreased rumination, or decreased perceived stress. Among 212 breast cancer survivors (mean age 56.5, 73.1% White non-Hispanic), increases in the "observing" facet of mindfulness partially mediated MBSR(BC) effects on quality-of-life impairments and logical memory at 6 months compared to usual care. No mediation effects were found at 6 or 12 weeks, nor when MBSR(BC) was compared to a Breast Cancer Education Support program. The results partially support that cognitive improvements may occur through increased mindfulness.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
October 1, 2024
Richard W Wagner, Smitha Mallaiah, Clark R Anderson et al.
A brief, five-minute pranayama breathing practice called Simha Kriya, practiced about six times per week for four weeks, reduced pandemic-specific distress and disruption and improved resilience and stress management among health care workers at a major cancer center in the southern United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perceived stress and breath-holding time did not change. The study included 100 participants, mostly female and white, with 56 providing data at four weeks.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
September 1, 2022
Natalie L. Dyer, Akleema Ali, Ann L Baldwin et al.
After a single Reiki session, most clients reported deep relaxation (68%) and body sensations (53%), with many also noting emotional shifts, spiritual significance, or symptom changes. The findings suggest Reiki can elicit a relaxation response and alter perception, potentially facilitating a transformative healing experience. Males more often reported relaxation and time perception changes, while females more often reported body sensations, emotions, visual perceptions, and spiritual significance.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
March 1, 2022
Witoon Mitarnun, Witid Mitranun, Wenika Mitarnun et al.
Walking meditation (WM) improved disease severity and reduced anxiety in people with Parkinson's disease. In a 12-week randomized trial, 33 participants were assigned to either a WM group or a control group. The WM group showed significant improvements in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores and a lower percentage of participants with anxiety, while the control group showed worsening on the five times sit to stand test. Both groups had reduced gait velocity. Adherence in the WM group averaged 3.2 days per week with no dropouts, suggesting home-based WM is feasible and beneficial for managing Parkinson's disease symptoms.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
February 1, 2022
Susan Telke, Brent Leininger, Linda Hanson et al.
A randomized controlled trial compared immediate versus deferred Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM) over 21 days in an online health community for people facing cancer. Participants who started LKM immediately showed medium-sized improvements in stress, self-compassion, and social connectedness relative to those who waited. Larger improvements in stress and self-compassion occurred with more frequent practice. The study had differential retention and relied on self-reported engagement, which may bias results.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
January 1, 2022
Chuntana Reangsing, Christina Lauderman, J. Schneider
Mindfulness interventions moderately reduce depression in emerging adults aged 20-29. Across 45 studies with 3,479 participants, mindfulness practices led to a significant decrease in depressive symptoms compared to control conditions (g=0.44). Effects were larger in Asian countries, in studies with a higher proportion of female participants, and among those with diagnosed depressive disorders. Group-based mindfulness was more effective than individual sessions, and more minutes of unstructured practice per session also predicted greater improvement. No adverse effects were reported in the primary studies, so caution is warranted.