A Pilot Study of Mindfulness Meditation for Pediatric Chronic Pain
Lynn Waelde, Amanda Feinstein, Rashmi Bhandari, Anya Griffin, Isabel Yoon, Brenda Golianu
Children April 26, 2017 DOI: 10.3390/children4050032 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot clinical trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 20 |
| Population | Adolescents aged 13–17 years with chronic pain |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Duration | 6-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation did not significantly change pain intensity or depression but improved functional disability and reduced parents' worry about their child's pain. |
Abstract
Despite advances in psychological interventions for pediatric chronic pain, there has been little research examining mindfulness meditation for these conditions. This study presents data from a pilot clinical trial of a six-week manualized mindfulness meditation intervention offered to 20 adolescents aged 13–17 years. Measures of pain intensity, functional disability, depression and parent worry about their child’s pain were obtained at baseline and post-treatment. Results indicated no significant changes in pain or depression, however functional disability and frequency of pain functioning complaints improved with small effect sizes. Parents’ worry about child’s pain significantly decreased with a large effect size. Participants rated intervention components positively and most teens suggested that the number of sessions be increased. Three case examples illustrate mindfulness meditation effects and precautions. Mindfulness meditation shows promise as a feasible and acceptable intervention for youth with chronic pain. Future research should optimize intervention components and determine treatment efficacy.