Association Between Pain and Mindfulness in Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-sectional Survey.
Angela Senders, Alena Borgatti, Douglas A Hanes, Lynne H. Shinto
International Journal of MS Care 2018 DOI: 10.7224/1537-2073.2016-076 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 132 |
| Population | People with any type of multiple sclerosis (MS) |
| Measures | Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Pain Interference scale, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Higher trait mindfulness was associated with lower pain interference in people with MS: each 18-point increase in mindfulness scores corresponded to an expected 3.96-point decrease in pain interference (95% CI, -2.52 to -5.40; β = -0.22, P < .0001). The adjusted model explained 26% of the variability in pain interference. The authors suggest this supports further exploration of mindfulness-based interventions for MS-related pain. |
Abstract
Chronic pain is a common symptom in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and often requires a multimodal approach to care. The practice of mindfulness has been shown to decrease the experience of pain in other conditions, yet little is known about the relationship between mindfulness and pain in people with MS. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between pain interference and trait mindfulness in people with MS. In this cross-sectional survey, 132 people with any type of MS completed the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Pain Interference scale and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Linear regression was used to test the association between pain and mindfulness while adjusting for demographic and MS-related characteristics. The relationship between pain and mindfulness was clinically meaningful and highly significant (t = -5.52, P < .0001). For every 18-point increase in mindfulness scores, pain interference scores are expected to decrease by 3.96 (95% CI, -2.52 to -5.40) points (β = -0.22, P < .0001). The adjusted model, including age, type of MS, the interaction between mindfulness and age, and the interaction between mindfulness and MS type, explains 26% of the variability in pain interference scores (R2 = 0.26). These results suggest a clinically significant association between mindfulness and pain interference in MS and support further exploration of mindfulness-based interventions in the management of MS-related pain.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Is Mindfulness Associated With Lower Pain Reactivity and Connectivity of the Default Mode Network? A Replication and Extension Study in Healthy and Episodic Migraine Participants Journal of Pain August 4, 2022
- Trait Mindfulness and Wellness in Multiple Sclerosis Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques July 12, 2018
- The Associations of Mindfulness and Self-Compassion on Quality of Life for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis, a Cross-Sectional Study from Turkey. Psychiatry March 18, 2025
- Trait mindfulness, emotion dysregulation, and depression in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis and related disorders February 1, 2022
Cites 17
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Increased Mindfulness Is Related to Improved Stress and Mood Following Participation in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program in Individuals With Cancer Integrative Cancer Therapies April 13, 2012
- A Mind-Body Program for Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Internal Medicine March 1, 2016
- Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Anxiety, Depression and Stress in Women With Multiple Sclerosis. Nursing and midwifery studies December 2015
- Disentangling the neural mechanisms involved in Hinduism- and Buddhism-related meditations. Brain and Cognition October 2014
and 12 more in the library