Mindfulness as a protective factor against depressive symptoms in people with fibromyalgia.
Jessica M. Brooks, Veronica Muller, Jennifer Sánchez, Eboneé T Johnson, Chung-Yi Chiu, Brandi P Cotton, Matthew C Lohman, Denise Catalano, Stephen Bartels, Fong Chan
Journal of Mental Health April 2020 DOI: 10.1080/09638237.2017.1417555 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey with path analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 117 |
| Population | Adults with fibromyalgia recruited from community and clinic networks |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Chronic pain Cognitive-behavioral theory Fibromyalgia |
| Key findings | Mindfulness showed a direct negative association with depressive symptoms and indirect negative associations through perceived stress, activity interference, and pain catastrophizing. Perceived stress, activity interference, and pain catastrophizing each showed direct positive associations with depressive symptoms and indirect associations through pain intensity. The authors argue that mindfulness seems to play an important protective role against stress and depression in fibromyalgia and should be included in mental health interventions for chronic pain. |
Abstract
Background: Depressive symptoms complicate pain management for people with FM, with adverse consequences such as a greater need for pain medications and limited pain coping strategies. Determining risks and protective factors associated with depressive symptoms in persons with FM could inform the development and implementation of mental health interventions.Aims: To formulate and test a behavioral activation model of depression with mindfulness as a protective factor for people with FM.Methods: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey with 117 adults with FM from community and clinic networks. Path analysis was used to assess the relationships of pain intensity, perceived stress, activity interference, pain catastrophizing and mindfulness with depressive symptoms.Results: Mindfulness has a negative direct association with depressive symptoms and a negative indirect association with depressive symptoms through perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing. Perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing had direct associations with depressive symptoms. Finally, perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing had indirect associations with depressive symptoms through pain intensity.Conclusions: Mindfulness seems to play an important role as a protective factor against the negative effects of stress and depression among people with FM and should be included in mental health interventions for chronic 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 3
- A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining the Effect of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction on Pain Severity and Quality of Life in People Living With Fibromyalgia. European Journal of Pain April 1, 2026
- Exploring the underlying mechanism of the relation between trait mindfulness and insomnia among university students: a dual processing perspective. BMC Public Health February 13, 2026
- Mindfulness is associated with sleep quality among patients with fibromyalgia. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases November 27, 2019
Cites 5
- Clarifying the construct of mindfulness in the context of emotion regulation and the process of change in therapy. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness meditation alleviates depressive symptoms in women with fibromyalgia: Results of a randomized clinical trial Arthritis Care & Research January 31, 2007
- Mindfulness intervention in the management of chronic pain and psychological comorbidity: A meta-analysis June 1, 2014
- Low mindfulness predicts pain catastrophizing in a fear-avoidance model of chronic pain. Pain January 2010
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits. A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research July 1, 2004