Pain-related anxiety as a mediator of the effects of mindfulness on physical and psychosocial functioning in chronic pain patients in Korea.
Sungkun Cho, Elaine M Heiby, Lance M. McCracken, Sun-Mi Lee, Dong-Eon Moon
Journal of Pain August 2010 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2009.12.006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional/correlational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 179 |
| Population | Chronic pain patients in Korea |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | Pain-related anxiety fully mediated the relationship between mindfulness and both physical and psychosocial functioning in chronic pain patients, with significant indirect effects, suggesting mindfulness improves functioning indirectly by reducing pain-related anxiety. |
Abstract
Mindfulness involves reducing potential influences from aversive cognitions, sensations, and emotions on behavior. Mindfulness may influence the experience of pain-related anxiety, and thereby enhance other aspects of physical and psychosocial functioning. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate a potential mediating role of pain-related anxiety between mindfulness and physical and psychosocial functioning in chronic pain patients. This cross-sectional/correlational study used archival data (N = 226) obtained from the larger Korean Pain Study at a university-based pain-management center in Korea. Based on the inclusion criterion for the present study, archival data were analyzed for a final sample of 179 patients with chronic pain. Structural equation analyses showed that both the partial- and full-mediation models had adequate goodness-of-fit indices for physical and psychosocial functioning. Subsequent chi-square tests, however, indicated that the more parsimonious full-mediation model was preferred to the partial-mediation model for physical and psychosocial functioning. Bootstrapping procedures yielded significant mediation effects of pain-related anxiety in the full-mediation models on physical and psychosocial functioning. These findings suggest that being mindful may lead indirectly to a decrease in the disabling influences of pain-related anxiety, thereby contributing to better physical and psychosocial functioning, rather than playing a direct contributing role for better functioning among chronic pain patients in Korea. This article examines the mediating role of pain-related anxiety between mindfulness and physical/psychosocial functioning. Results suggest that mindfulness methods may benefit patients having pain-related anxiety and consequent disability. These benefits may derive from the way processes of mindfulness interact with processes of avoidance and with cognitive influences on emotional suffering.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological flexibility mediates the relations between acute psychedelic effects and subjective decreases in depression and anxiety. International sample of people who reported having used a psychedelic | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 985 |
| The Challenging Experience Questionnaire: Characterization of challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms Internet survey respondents reporting challenging experiences with psilocybin | 2016 | Questionnaire development and validation | |
| Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study Adult population in the United States | 2013 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 130,152 |
| Ecstasy/MDMA attributed problems reported by novice, moderate and heavy recreational users Ecstasy users who participated in a WWW study of recreational drug use | 2002 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 282 |
| 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) used in a naturalistic group setting is associated with unintended improvements in depression and anxiety. Adults who used 5-MeO-DMT in a group setting with structured procedures | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 362 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences June 1, 2016
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Physical Conditions: A Narrative Review Evaluating Levels of Evidence ISRN Psychiatry November 14, 2012
- Mindfulness meditation reduces pain more effectively than slow-breathing meditation: the mediating role of respiration. Pain March 1, 2026
- Neurophysiological Mechanisms Supporting Mindfulness Meditation-Based Pain Relief: an Updated Review. Current Pain and Headache Reports August 17, 2020
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Perceived Pain Intensity and Quality of Life in Patients With Chronic Headache. Global Journal of Health Science August 6, 2015
Cites 9
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Assessment of Mindfulness by Self-Report Assessment September 1, 2004
- Clarifying the construct of mindfulness in the context of emotion regulation and the process of change in therapy. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness meditation for the treatment of chronic low back pain in older adults: A randomized controlled pilot study ☆ Pain June 4, 2007
- The role of mindfulness in a contextual cognitive-behavioral analysis of chronic pain-related suffering and disability. Pain September 2007
and 4 more in the library