Mindfulness--What Works for Whom? Referral, Feasibility, and User Perspectives Regarding Patients with Mixed Chronic Pain.

Marian Petersen; Peter La Cour

doi:10.1089/acm.2015.0310

Mindfulness--What Works for Whom? Referral, Feasibility, and User Perspectives Regarding Patients with Mixed Chronic Pain.

Marian Petersen, Peter La Cour

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine April 2016 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2015.0310 (opens in new tab)

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AI-extracted from the abstract

Characteristics	Mixed methods study Qualitative Peer reviewed
Sample size	58
Population	Patients who completed a mindfulness-based stress reduction course
Intervention	Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)
Duration	6-month follow-up after course completion
Topics	Meditation
Key points	No sociodemographic variable significantly predicted positive or negative outcomes after MBSR, and no clear predictors identified who would benefit most. Only older age predicted better outcome. Patients reported feeling rested and in better control of their pain, and qualitative themes emphasized lessons learned, being oneself, permanence, and continuity as a condition for success.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe and predict the patients who would benefit from a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course and those for whom the conditions or timing are not optimal. The hypothesis was that patients' sociodemographic status would affect the effectiveness of MBSR. Data were collected by using mixed methods. Quantitative data were collected from a group of 58 patients who completed health-related questionnaires and from an evaluation 6 months after completion of a mindfulness course. Qualitative data were collected from three focus group interviews and seven case stories. There were no significant differences in positive or negative outcomes after MBSR regarding any sociodemographic variables, and no clear predictors to identify patients best suited for participating in mindfulness were found. Techniques used by most patients (with or without positive outcome) were meditation and focus on breathing. Patients expressed positive feedback and reported positive changes they felt would last for the rest of their lives. Focusing on the issue of what works, four categories of interest were identified from the transcribed interviews: lessons learned, being oneself, permanence, and continuity as a condition for success. Mindfulness meditation makes a difference for patients. Patients felt rested and in better control of their pain and its role in their life. Only older age predicted better outcome, but patients who recognized that pain is part of their life and were living under stable conditions may have been more likely to learn and put forth personal effort, which may have made change possible. More specific variables have to be developed to study good match between the specific intervention and the specific patient.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study	Year	Design	Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan...	2017	Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system	2004	Implementation study with mixed methods
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 Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety	2006	Exploratory mixed methods study	n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context	2001	Qualitative study	n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators	2013	Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

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