Feasibility and acceptability of using a meditation app in adults with rheumatic disease.
Dana D. DiRenzo, Carly Hunt, Erica Sibinga, Neda F Gould, Ami A. Shah, Susan J. Bartlett, Clifton O. Bingham
Explore November 9, 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2021.11.003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Single-arm, pre-post intervention study Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 35 |
| Population | Adults with rheumatic disease |
| Dose | ≥5 min/day for 30 days |
| Duration | 30-day intervention |
| Measures | PROMIS, NIH Toolbox |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key points | A 30-day meditation app intervention was feasible and associated with significant improvement in fatigue among completers. |
Abstract
ObjectiveMeditation is a stress-reduction and contemplative technique that can improve emotional distress in people with chronic disease and may be especially beneficial for patients with rheumatic diseases. However, patient access to in-person programs is challenging. The goal of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility/acceptability associated with physician-directed use of a widely available smartphone application (app), Calm©.MethodsIn this single-arm, pre-post intervention study with recruitment over a 10-month period, adults with rheumatic disease were asked to use the app for ≥5 min/day for 30 days. Participants completed sociodemographic surveys and validated health related quality of life (HRQL) questionnaires from the Patient Reported Outcomes Information System (PROMIS) and NIH Toolbox at baseline and 30-days.ResultsThirty-five participants who were mostly well-educated (66% ≥college degree) females (91%) with a mean age of 50 (SD 13) completed baseline questionnaires; 18 participants completed post-study questionnaires ("full completers"). Full completers had higher baseline stress, anxiety, pain, and patient global assessment scores (p's <0.05) compared to partial completers. Full completers who provided data used the app on average for 283 min/30 days (SD 257; n = 16) and showed significant improvements in fatigue (-7.6 T-Score units, p = 0.017), with trends for improvement in perceived stress, anxiety, sleep disturbance, self-efficacy for managing symptoms, and pain intensity (p's <0.15).ConclusionsA 30-day meditation, stress-reduction app used by patients with rheumatic disease revealed that this is a feasible non-pharmacologic modality to target HRQL and problematic symptoms like fatigue. More rigorous study on app use and potential effect is needed.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- A Tale of Two Treatments: A Randomised Controlled Trial of Mindfulness or Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Delivered Online for People with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2025
- Online mindfulness interventions in the care of people with physical and mental health conditions: a scoping review. BMJ Open July 18, 2025
- The Effects of a Digital Mindfulness Intervention on Mental Health and Vision-Related Quality of Life in Non-infectious Uveitis. Ophthalmology June 1, 2026
Cites 6
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Current rheumatology reports October 18, 2018
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression Psychiatric Clinics of North America September 18, 2017
- How do mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction improve mental health and wellbeing? A systematic review and meta-analysis of mediation studies. Clinical Psychology Review April 1, 2015
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits. A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research July 1, 2004
and 1 more in the library