Case Studies in Working with Loving-Kindness Meditation and Art Therapy for Those Suffering from Chronic Pain
Jessica N. Ropars
ODU Digital Commons September 29, 2026 DOI: 10.25777/85f1-vx62 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3 |
| Population | Three women with different types of chronic pain, aged 26 to 62, recruited from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Eastern Virginia Medical School |
| Interventions | Loving-Kindness meditation Art therapy |
| Duration | Four sessions |
| Measures | West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory, Flanagan's Quality of Life Scale, Brief COPE Scale |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Two of the three participants reported decreased pain after four sessions combining Loving-Kindness meditation and art therapy. Positive coping skills such as Planning and Acceptance increased, while Self-Blame and Substance Use decreased. All three participants reported the treatment was beneficial for coping with pain and other stressors. |
Abstract
This study combined the use of Loving-Kindness meditation with art therapy for three women suffering from different types of chronic pain. These women ranged in age from 26 to 62 years and were from a variety of backgrounds; two of the women were Caucasian and one woman was originally from Barbados. The participants were recruited from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Four sessions were scheduled. During each session there was time for Loving-Kindness meditation followed by an art therapy intervention. The West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory was used to measure pain. In order to observe quality of life, the Flanagan’s Quality of Life Scale was given during the first and last sessions. The Brief COPE Scale was used to measure coping skills. The study found a decrease in pain for two out of the three participants. Additionally, it showed an increase in the use of positive coping skills, such as Planning and Acceptance, and a decrease in the use of more negative coping skill such as Self-Blame and Substance Use. All three participants reported that the treatment was beneficial for them, and not only helped them cope with their pain, but also with other outside stressors.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain sources of EEG gamma frequency during volitionally meditation-induced, altered states of consciousness, and experience of the self Advanced meditator | 2001 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Mindfulness Meditation for Alcohol Relapse Prevention: A Feasibility Pilot Study Adult alcohol-dependent graduates of an intensive outpatient program | 2008 | Prospective case series | n = 19 |
| How does it feel to lack a sense of boundaries? A case study of a long-term mindfulness meditator. A single long-term mindfulness practitioner (S) with 40 years of practice in... | 2015 | Qualitative case study | n = 1 |
| Loving‐kindness meditation to enhance recovery from negative symptoms of schizophrenia Individuals suffering from schizophrenia-spectrum disorders with persistent negative... | 2009 | Case study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Problem Gambling A female problem gambler | 2011 | Case study | n = 1 |