Evaluation of a Spanish-language Adaptation of Brief Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Chronic Pain: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Carter Minnick, Adam W. Hanley, Eric L Garland
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine June 12, 2026 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-026-10464-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 20 |
| Population | Spanish-speaking adults with chronic pain |
| Intervention | Spanish B-MORE |
| Duration | Two sessions; outcomes assessed at baseline, 2-week, and 6-week follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Randomized controlled trial Chronic pain Intervention counseling Psychological intervention Clinical trial Health psychology Adaptation eye Physical therapy Pain medicine Medline |
| Registration | NCT06316713 |
| Key findings | Spanish B-MORE significantly reduced pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and anxiety immediately after sessions, and at six weeks produced greater improvements on all clinical outcomes compared to a waitlist control. |
Abstract
Background: Spanish-speaking individuals in the U.S. face a number of barriers to quality pain care and limited access to culturally adapted treatments. While mindfulness-based interventions are effective for chronic pain, few have been translated for Spanish-speaking populations. This pilot study tested a brief, Spanish-language adaptation of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (Spanish B-MORE) for Spanish-speaking adults with chronic pain.
Methods: A single-site, waitlist-controlled randomized clinical trial was conducted to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of Spanish B-MORE. Spanish-speaking adults with chronic pain (N = 20) were randomized 1:1 to receive the Spanish B-MORE intervention or a waitlist control. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 2-week, and 6-week follow-up. Primary outcome was chronic pain symptoms (PEG-3); secondary and tertiary outcomes included participant-rated intervention acceptability, depression, anxiety, well-being, pain catastrophizing, and proposed therapeutic mechanisms (self-transcendence, mindful reappraisal of pain). Acute effects were also assessed immediately before and after the intervention sessions.
Results: All participants completed both sessions and all follow-ups. Participants rated the intervention as highly acceptable (M = 9.4/10) and would recommend it to others (M = 9.67/10). Immediately following the intervention, B-MORE significantly reduced pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and anxiety, all with large Cohen's d effect sizes (d = 1.32-1.48). At six weeks, relative to those in the waitlist-controlled condition, B-MORE participants showed greater improvements on all clinical outcomes.
Conclusions: Spanish B-MORE may represent a brief, scalable, and culturally responsive intervention for chronic pain in Spanish-speaking populations. These promising findings support further evaluation in larger trials. CLINICAL
Trial Registration: NCT06316713.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 8
- Positive Psychological States in the Arc from Mindfulness to Self-Transcendence: Extensions of the Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory and Applications to Addiction and Chronic Pain Treatment Current Opinion in Psychology January 14, 2019
- The Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment (NADA): New tools to assess nondual traits and states of consciousness occurring within and beyond the context of meditation. Psychological Assessment December 1, 2018
- The Mindful Reappraisal of Pain Scale (MRPS): Validation of a New Measure of Psychological Mechanisms of Mindfulness-Based Analgesia. Mindfulness 2023
- A Single-Session, 2-Hour Version of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (One MORE) Improves Chronic Pain Patients' Pain-Related Outcomes Through 3-Month Follow-Up in a Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine September 1, 2024
- Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Veterans and Military Personnel on Long-Term Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial American Journal of Psychiatry January 10, 2024
and 3 more in the library