Relationships Between Applied Mindfulness Practice, Chronic Pain, and Pain-Related Functioning in Veterans.
Collin M Calvert, Alex Haley, Emily M Hagel Campbell, Ann Bangerter, Brent C Taylor, Mariah Branson, Lee J. S. Cross, Kelli D Allen, John E Ferguson, Jessica K Friedman, Laura A Meis, Diana J. Burgess
Journal of Pain November 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104648 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,737 |
| Population | Veterans with chronic pain |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Applied mindfulness Chronic pain Psychometric Scale Veterans |
| Key findings | Higher applied mindfulness practice, especially positive emotional regulation, was associated with less pain interference and better outcomes across multiple pain-related conditions, but not with pain intensity. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to improve chronic pain and associated conditions like depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. However, there is limited research on how veterans with chronic pain apply mindfulness skills to manage pain in daily life. This cross-sectional study examined the association between applied mindfulness practice, pain, and several pain-related conditions among 1,737 veterans with chronic pain prior to enrollment in a trial of 2 MBIs. Applied mindfulness practice was assessed using the Applied Mindfulness Process Scale (AMPS). The outcomes included pain interference, pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, physical function, and social participation. Higher overall AMPS scores, as well as the positive and negative emotional regulation subscales of the AMPS, were associated with less pain interference and catastrophizing, as well as better outcomes for all pain-related conditions. The positive emotional regulation subscale had the strongest associations with outcomes. There was no significant association between the AMPS and pain intensity. The results suggest applied mindfulness practice, especially positive emotional regulation, may improve pain and functioning. In addition, the AMPS shows promise as a process measure of mindfulness skills applied in daily life. Additional research is needed to examine different aspects of mindfulness in the context of MBIs. PERSPECTIVE: This article describes the relationship between applied mindfulness practice and pain-related outcomes, prior to a MBI, using a novel measure of mindfulness practice. These findings underscore the importance of measuring applied mindfulness practice prior to and during clinical interventions to treat chronic pain.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cites 13
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences June 1, 2016
- Effects of mindfulness and distraction on pain depend upon individual differences in pain catastrophizing: An experimental study European Journal of Pain March 26, 2014
- Disentangling self from pain: mindfulness meditation–induced pain relief is driven by thalamic–default mode network decoupling Pain July 7, 2022
- Meditation, mindfulness, and acceptance methods in psychotherapy: A systematic review Psychotherapy Research May 8, 2023
and 8 more in the library