"I felt like a new person." the effects of mindfulness meditation on older adults with chronic pain: qualitative narrative analysis of diary entries.
Natalia E. Morone, Cheryl S Lynch, Carol M. Greco, Hilary A. Tindle, Debra K. Weiner
Journal of Pain September 2008 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2008.04.003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study based on grounded theory Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 27 |
| Population | Community-dwelling older adults aged 65 or older with chronic low back pain of at least moderate severity and at least 3 months duration |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Duration | 8-week mindfulness meditation program |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation was associated with reduced pain, improved attention, better sleep, and enhanced well-being in older adults with chronic low back pain, suggesting potential as a nonpharmacologic treatment. |
Abstract
To identify the effects of mindfulness meditation on older adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP), we conducted a qualitative study based on grounded theory and used content analysis of diary entries from older adults who had participated in a clinical trial of an 8-week mindfulness meditation program. Participants were 27 adults > or = 65 years of age with CLBP of at least moderate severity and of at least 3 months duration. We found several themes reflecting the beneficial effects of mindfulness meditation on pain, attention, sleep, and achieving well-being. Various methods of pain reduction were used, including distraction, increased body awareness leading to behavior change, better pain coping, and direct pain reduction through meditation. Participants described improved attention skills. A number of participants reported improved sleep latency as well as quality of sleep. Participants described achieving well-being during and after a meditation session that had immediate effects on mood elevation but also long-term global effects on improved quality of life. Several themes were identified related to pain reduction, improved attention, improved sleep, and achieving well-being resulting from mindfulness meditation that suggest it has promising potential as a nonpharmacologic treatment of chronic pain for older adults. Community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain experience numerous benefits from mindfulness meditation including less pain, improved attention, better sleep, enhanced well-being, and improved quality of life. Additional research is needed to determine how mindfulness meditation works and how it might help with other chronic illnesses.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 58
- Mindfulness starts with the body: somatosensory attention and top-down modulation of cortical alpha rhythms in mindfulness meditation Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
- Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences June 1, 2016
- Validity evidence of the brazilian version of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ) Psicologia Teoria e Pesquisa September 1, 2014
- Mindfulness Training for Healthy Aging: Impact on Attention, Well-Being, and Inflammation Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience February 2, 2017
- Mindfulness Training for People With Dementia and Their Caregivers: Rationale, Current Research, and Future Directions Frontiers in Psychology June 13, 2018
and 53 more in the library
Cites 13
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Mindfulness meditation for the treatment of chronic low back pain in older adults: A randomized controlled pilot study ☆ Pain June 4, 2007
- The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Holistic Nursing Practice November 1, 2004
- 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 BMC Psychiatry April 7, 2006
and 8 more in the library