Role of Mindfulness Meditation on Pain Sensation, Stress Reduction, Anxiety, and Sleep Quality of Young Adult Female Patients with Non-specific Chronic Low Back Pain
Debosmita Ghosh, Sanchita Ghosh, Swagata Chakraborty
Bengal Journal of Psychiatry June 15, 2026 DOI: 10.25259/bjpsy_7_2026 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 60 |
| Population | Female participants aged 19-40 years with non-specific chronic low back pain |
| Interventions | Mindfulness meditation (body scan thought observation) pharmacotherapy physiotherapy |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Psychological intervention Young adult Perceived stress scale Mindfulness-based stress reduction Pain catastrophizing Physical therapy Clinical psychology Mindfulness meditation Chronic pain Sleep quality Mcgill pain questionnaire Low back pain |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation practice significantly reduced pain, stress, and anxiety, and improved sleep quality in young adult female patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. |
Abstract
Introduction: Mindfulness refers to bring attention to the current moment.
Objectives: Mindfulness or meditation–based interventions help to improve pain symptomology across a wide range of pain-connected disorders. Material and
Methods: A total of 60 female participants, aged 19-40 years (mean age 32.33), who were diagnosed with non-specific chronic low back pain by physicians, were selected for the present study. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: 1. the study group (involved in mindfulness meditation practice, i.e., body scan & thought observation, and usual medical care, i.e., pharmacotherapy & physiotherapy); and 2. the control group (not involved in any meditation practice, only received usual medical care, i.e., pharmacotherapy & physiotherapy). The participants were assessed by the mcgill pain questionnaire, sleep quality scale (SQS), state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), and perceived stress scales (PSS) at pre- and post-intervention levels. Data were examined using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, Mann- Whitney U Test, and Spearman’s Rank Correlation.
Results: Results revealed that mindfulness meditation practice helped the study group perceive a significantly lesser amount of pain ( p< 0.01). Their perceived stress ( p< 0.01) and anxiety ( p< 0.01) levels decreased; sleeping quality ( p < 0.01) improved.
Conclusion: Mindfulness meditation (body scan, thought observation) practice was effective in reducing pain sensation, stress level, and anxiety levels. It helped to improve the sleep quality of young adult female patients with Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.