Outcome Expectancies, Effects, and Mechanisms of Brief Training in Mindfulness Meditation vs. Loving-Kindness Meditation vs a Control Condition for Pain Management: A Randomized Pilot Study.
Melissa A Day, Natasha Matthews, Jonathan N. Davies, Claire Walker, Nicola Bray, Jeffrey J Kim, Mark P Jensen
Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy September 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1080/15360288.2022.2141944 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 100 |
| Population | Adults with chronic or current problematic pain |
| Interventions | Mindfulness meditation Loving-kindness meditation |
| Duration | 20-minute single session |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Mindfulness meditation Expectancy Loving-kindness meditation Mediators Pain |
| Key findings | Both mindfulness meditation and loving-kindness meditation produced medium reductions in pain intensity compared to a control, and these effects did not differ by pain type. |
Abstract
This study investigated the analgesic effects of a single session of mindfulness meditation (MM) and loving-kindness meditation (LKM) relative to a control. A total of 100 adults with chronic or current problematic pain completed a survey and were randomized to a 20-minute MM, LKM, or audiobook control. Co-primary outcomes of pain intensity and unpleasantness and mediators of mindfulness and self-compassion were assessed pre- and posttraining. Expectancies were assessed pretraining. Pain type (chronic vs current problematic) was a covariate. Relative to the control, higher expectancies were reported for MM and LKM (P < .001). MM (d = 0.41, P = .032) and LKM (d = 0.38, P = .027) had medium effects on pain intensity, with greater decreases than control (d = 0.05, P = .768). All conditions had small effects on unpleasantness. Mindful observing increased more within MM (d = 0.52, P = .022) and the control (d = 0.50, P = .011) than LKM (d = 0.12, P = .50); self-compassion increased more in LKM (d = 0.36, P = .042) than MM (d = 0.27, P = .201) and the control (d = 0.22, P = .249). The mediation models were nonsignificant. Pain type was a nonsignificant covariate. Overall, MM and LKM were associated with positive expectancies and small-medium pain intensity reductions, which did not differ by pain type. Although MM and LKM were associated with changes in theorized mediators, these changes did not underlie improvement.
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
Cited by 6
- Placebo effects contribute to brief online mindfulness interventions for chronic pain: results from an online randomized sham-controlled trial. Pain October 1, 2023
- Mindful breathing for cancer pain: efficacy of a single 20-minute session - a randomised controlled study. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care August 20, 2024
- Transforming education: A review of the benefits of integrating mindfulness and meditation techniques in schools English Education Journal June 14, 2023
- Waiting for pain: effect of a mindfulness intervention during a wait situation on pain intensity. Frontiers in Pain Research 2025
- Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, and Quality of Life in Patients after Coronary Artery Bypass Transplantation The Heart Surgery Forum June 13, 2024
and 1 more in the library
Cites 18
- Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions. Clinical Psychology Review July 26, 2011
- How long does a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program need to be? A review of class contact hours and effect sizes for psychological distress Journal of Clinical Psychology March 23, 2009
- Compassion and Loving-Kindness Meditation: An Overview and Prospects for the Application in Clinical Samples Harvard Review of Psychiatry July 1, 2018
- Pilot study of a compassion meditation intervention in chronic pain Journal of Compassionate Health Care October 8, 2014
- A qualitative comparison of mindfulness meditation, cognitive therapy, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for chronic low back pain. Rehabilitation psychology August 2021
and 13 more in the library