Acceptance and commitment therapy for episodic migraine: Rationale and design of a pilot randomized controlled trial.
Carolyn Ann Bernstein, Julie P Connor, Eric S Vilsmark, Myrella Paschali, Liron Rozenkrantz, Pamela M Rist, Peter M. Wayne, Asimina Lazaridou
Contemporary Clinical Trials October 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2022.106907 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review and pilot study design description Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Chronic pain management Migraine Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Randomized controlled trial |
| Key findings | Argues that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, a mindfulness-based therapy, may be an effective modality to integrate into migraine treatment, and describes a pilot study designed to test the feasibility of a future fully powered trial of remotely delivered ACT on migraine frequency and disability, including measurement of cortisol levels before and after the intervention. |
Abstract
Migraine is a debilitating disorder with limited pharmacological options. Many migraine medications can have intolerable side effects leading patients to seek complementary and integrative health (CIM) approaches for treatment. One option that is growing in popularity and evidence is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a mindfulness-based therapy. The purpose of this paper is to describe how ACT may be an effective modality integrated into the treatment of migraine and to describe the design of a pilot study of ACT for migraine. First, we review the research and the promise of mindfulness therapies for the treatment of migraine. Then, we describe how ACT differs from other mindfulness therapies for migraine and why it can be a promising option for these patients. Finally, we summarize the design of a pilot study designed to determine the feasibility of performing a future fully powered study to determine the effectiveness of ACT on migraine frequency and disability. This pilot study includes unique features, including a remotely-delivered ACT intervention and the measurement of cortisol levels before and after the intervention.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 5
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness in migraine: A narrative review Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics January 14, 2020
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression. Industrial Psychiatry Journal October 29, 2024
- Mindfulness training affects attention--or is it attentional effort? Journal of experimental psychology. General February 2012
- Cortisol as a marker for improvement in mindfulness-based stress reduction. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice July 4, 2009