Effectiveness of the Brief Self-Implemented Mindfulness-Based Interoceptive Exposure Task Taught Online in a Mixed Chronic Pain Group
摘要
Contemporary models of chronic pain identify fear of pain and catastrophic thinking about pain as perpetuating pain severity and psychological suffering of individuals with chronic pain. Research has identified mindfulness-based interventions as an avenue to address these psychological processes, but they are often time-intensive. This study aimed to further investigate the brief Mindfulness-based Interoceptive Exposure Task (MIET) for individuals with chronic pain taught in an online format.
MethodForty-four participants with chronic pain were allocated to the treatment or waitlist group. The intervention involved two online meetings and a period of self-implemented MIET practice. The MIET involves focusing on four characteristics of pain (mass, temperature, motion, and cohesiveness) while remaining equanimous for 30 s. Questionnaires were completed at baseline (after randomisation), 2 weeks, and 6 weeks.
ResultsMixed-effects models revealed no significant changes in pain or psychological distress outcomes after two weeks of self-implemented practice. However, significantly greater improvements in pain interference (p = 0.03), pain self-efficacy (p = 0.01), stress (p = 0.004), and equanimity (p = 0.003) were observed in the treatment group compared to the waitlist group after 6 weeks. Changes in pain catastrophising in the treatment group compared to the waitlist group approached statistical significance (p = 0.051) after 6 weeks.
ConclusionsPreliminary findings suggest that self-implemented MIET may support longer-term improvements in pain interference, stress, pain self-efficacy, and equanimity when delivered online. While the MIET shows promise as a low-intensity tool for chronic pain management, larger randomised trials are needed to more definitively establish its efficacy.
PreregistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry; ACTRN12619000260123p.