Trait mindfulness is associated with pain outcomes in patients with chronic back pain from a rural sample in the United States
Ilana Haliwa, Cara L. Sedney, Morgan Rosensteel, Sydney H. Smith, Patricia L. Dekeseredy, Natalie J. Shook
Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice February 19, 2026 DOI: 10.25259/jnrp_246_2025 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 50 |
| Population | US adults with chronic back pain attending a spine clinic in the rural southeastern United States |
| Duration | Approximately 3-month follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Greater trait mindfulness was correlated with less pain, pain interference, and disability due to pain at baseline, with medium effect sizes, and prospectively predicted reduced subjective pain roughly three months later. The authors suggest trait mindfulness may buffer against the negative effects of chronic pain and may be a viable intervention target for rural individuals with chronic back pain. |
Abstract
Chronic pain disproportionately affects US adults living in rural areas, leading to higher rates of opioid prescriptions. Mindfulness-based interventions are non-pharmaceutical treatments that can be effective at managing chronic pain. However, little is known about whether mindfulness is a potentially viable intervention target in rural populations. The goals of the current study were to assess the extent to which trait mindfulness was associated with pain outcomes in a rural sample with chronic back pain ( n = 50) and to determine whether trait mindfulness prospectively predicted improvement in subjective pain. Participants completed a survey at their initial visit to a spine clinic in the rural southeastern United States. They completed a follow-up survey approximately 3 months later. At the initial visit, greater trait mindfulness was significantly correlated with less reported pain, pain interference, and disability due to pain, with medium effect sizes. Furthermore, greater trait mindfulness at the initial visit prospectively predicted reduced subjective pain at follow-up. These findings suggest that trait mindfulness may buffer against the negative effects of chronic pain and may be an important intervention target for individuals with chronic back pain in rural communities.
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
Cites 16
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- The toronto mindfulness scale: Development and validation Journal of Clinical Psychology 2006
- Meta-analytic evidence for effects of mindfulness training on dimensions of self-reported dispositional mindfulness. Psychological Assessment 2016
- Which type and dosage of mindfulness-based interventions are most effective for chronic pain? A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research April 1, 2025
- Mindfulness meditation use in chronic pain treatment in rural Australia: Pitfalls and potential - A case report. Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice 2023
and 11 more in the library