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“Pain doesn’t control my life, I control it” – a qualitative investigation of the experiences of individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain participating in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program

Anita B Amorim, Claire Ashton-James, Talia Barnet-Hepples, Trudy Rebbeck, Kathryn Refshauge, Evangelos Pappas, Nathalia Costa

Disability and Rehabilitation August 26, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2026.2721575 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative descriptive study Peer reviewed
Sample size 10
Population Individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain who completed an MBSR program
Intervention Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Topics Meditation
Key findings Participants reported that mindfulness enhanced connection to self, others, and surroundings and shifted their perception of pain, though not all experienced pain reduction. Engagement was challenged by time, feelings of inadequacy, and pain, but facilitated by course structure, support, and perceived benefits.

Abstract

Purpose To explore the experiences of individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain who participated in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, focusing on how the program content and mindfulness practices translated into participants’ lives and how it impacted their pain.Materials and methods We conducted a qualitative descriptive study with 10 (7 women; mean age = 46.5 years, SD = 14.1) participants who had completed an MBSR program either online or in person. Data were collected through photo-elicitation and semi-structured interviews and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.Results We identified five themes: (1) Mindfulness enhances connection to self, others, and surroundings; (2) Mindfulness changes the perception of pain, without always reducing pain; (3) Motivators to engage with mindfulness went beyond pain and mental health; (4) Time, feelings of inadequacy and pain challenged engagement with mindfulness; and (5) Course structure, support from others and perceived benefits facilitated engagement.Conclusions Mindfulness may positively impact the emotional and psychological aspects of chronic musculoskeletal pain, extending to broader aspects of life, such as connection with others. While not all participants reported experiencing pain reduction, many discussed a shift in pain perception and acceptance of pain that improved their lives. These results underscore the potential benefits of incorporating mindfulness into chronic pain care to improve quality of life.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... 2017 Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system 2004 Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context 2001 Qualitative study n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators 2013 Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

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