A 20-Minute Mindful Jazz Intervention Decreased Chronic Pain Patients' Pain and Anxiety 4 Weeks Later: Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Objectives: Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) is the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide and the costliest health condition in the United States. Mindfulness is an effective treatment for CMP, but traditional mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are inaccessible for many CMP patients for both format and content reasons. An MBI that leverages music may be a more accessible approach.

Methods: This pilot randomized controlled trial investigates the effects of a 20 min mindful jazz listening intervention with a 4-week self-directed practice period on chronic pain patients, comparing the daily mindful jazz listening (n = 27) with regular daily jazz listening (n = 30). We assess immediate and 4-week post-intervention outcomes for pain intensity, unpleasantness and anxiety. This study was conducted in accordance with ethical standards and is registered under the IRB (#3454) of the University of California, Irvine.

Results: Results suggest that mindfully listening to jazz reduces pain and anxiety compared to the regular jazz group.

Conclusions: Mindfully listening to jazz may be an effective, brief intervention for managing pain and anxiety in chronic pain patients, highlighting its potential as an accessible and engaging chronic pain management.