Spirituality in pain medicine: A randomized experiment of pain perception, heart rate and religious spiritual well-being by using a single session meditation methodology
Anja Sollgruber, Helmar Bornemann-Cimenti, Istvan-Szilard Szilagyi, Andreas Sandner‐Kiesling
PLoS One September 7, 2018 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203336 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 147 |
| Population | 147 volunteers, including long-term meditation practitioners and novices; 5 excluded for heart rate measurement failure and 29 excluded for high Brief Symptom Inventory values |
| Interventions | Meditation Relaxation |
| Duration | Single 20-minute session |
| Measures | Quantitative Sensory Testing, Cold Pressor Testing (CPTest), heart rate monitoring, Multidimensional Inventory for Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (MI-RSB48), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 74 |
| Key findings | The meditation group showed increased pain tolerance on the Cold Pressor Test and decreased heat pain intensity after the intervention, unlike the relaxation group. The meditation group also scored higher on religious/spiritual well-being (MI-RSB48 total and the General Religiosity, Forgiveness, and Connectedness subscales). The authors state these data are consistent with the hypothesis that meditation increases pain tolerance and reduces pain intensity, but that further work is needed to determine whether this applies to pain patients. |
Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate different effects on pain perception among randomly assigned volunteers practicing meditation compared to a relaxation condition. The study examines whether participants of the experimental conditions (meditation versus relaxation) differ in the change of pain perception and heart rate measurement and in religious and spiritual well-being after an intervention.
Method: 147 volunteers (long-term practitioners and novices) were randomly assigned to the experimental conditions with a headphone guided 20-minute single session intervention. The change in their pre- and post-intervention pain perception was measured using Quantitative Sensory Testing and Cold Pressor Testing (CPTest), their stress-level was compared by monitoring heart rate, and their religious and spiritual well-being by using the Multidimensional Inventory for Religious/Spiritual Well-Being (MI-RSB48). Additionally, dimensions of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) measured the psychological resilience of the participants; pain and stress experience, and the state of relaxation and spirituality experience were assessed. Five persons were excluded due to failure in measuring the heart rate and 29 participants had to be excluded because of high values on the BSI.
Results: The meditation group showed an increase in their pain tolerance on the CPTest and a decrease in their pain intensity for heat after the experimental condition, in contrast to the relaxation group. Futhermore, the meditation group showed a higher level of religious spiritual well-being (MI-RSB48 Total score) as well as in the sub-dimensions General Religiosity, Forgiveness, and Connectedness after the experimental condition, compared to the relaxation group. Our data is consistent with the hypothesis that meditation increases pain tolerance and reduces pain intensity, however, further work is required to determine whether meditation contains similar implications for pain patients.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 21
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Conceptual and methodological issues in research on mindfulness and meditation. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- The meeting of meditative disciplines and western psychology: A mutually enriching dialogue. American Psychologist 2006
- Stress Reduction through Mindfulness Meditation Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics February 18, 2010
- How Does Mindfulness Training Affect Health? A Mindfulness Stress Buffering Account Current Directions in Psychological Science December 1, 2014
and 16 more in the library