The clinical use of mindfulness meditation for the self-regulation of chronic pain.
Jon Kabat‐zinn, Leslie Lipworth, Robert Burney
Journal of Behavioral Medicine June 1985 DOI: 10.1007/bf00845519 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study with comparison group Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 90 |
| Population | Chronic pain patients |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Duration | 10-week program; follow-up up to 15 months post-training |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Chronic pain patients trained in mindfulness meditation showed statistically significant reductions in present-moment pain, negative body image, pain-related activity inhibition, symptoms, mood disturbance, anxiety, and depression, with decreased pain-related drug use and increased activity and self-esteem. A comparison group receiving traditional treatment protocols did not show significant improvement. Improvements were maintained up to 15 months post-training for all measures except present-moment pain. |
Abstract
Ninety chronic pain patients were trained in mindfulness meditation in a 10-week Stress Reduction and Relaxation Program. Statistically significant reductions were observed in measures of present-moment pain, negative body image, inhibition of activity by pain, symptoms, mood disturbance, and psychological symptomatology, including anxiety and depression. Pain-related drug utilization decreased and activity levels and feelings of self-esteem increased. Improvement appeared to be independent of gender, source of referral, and type of pain. A comparison group of pain patients did not show significant improvement on these measures after traditional treatment protocols. At follow-up, the improvements observed during the meditation training were maintained up to 15 months post-meditation training for all measures except present-moment pain. The majority of subjects reported continued high compliance with the meditation practice as part of their daily lives. The relationship of mindfulness meditation to other psychological methods for chronic pain control is discussed.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 476
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
and 471 more in the library
Cites 7
- Meditation and psychotherapy: a rationale for the integration of dynamic psychotherapy, the relaxation response, and mindfulness meditation American Journal of Psychiatry 1985
- The Physiology of Meditation and Mystical States of Consciousness Perspectives in biology and medicine March 1, 1976
- Reproducibility and four year follow-up of a training program in mindfulness meditation for the self-regulation of chronic pain Pain 1984
- Meditation Practice and Research Journal of Humanistic Psychology 1983
- An outpatient program in behavioral medicine for chronic pain patients based on the practice of mindfulness meditation: theoretical considerations and preliminary results. General Hospital Psychiatry April 1, 1982
and 2 more in the library