A Systematic Review of the Adherence to Home-Practice Meditation Exercises in Patients with Chronic Pain.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the frequency, duration, and effects of home meditation practice in patients with chronic pain undergoing "third wave" psychotherapies.
Results Summary
The study found moderately frequent practice (around four days/week) with high variability in time invested, significant associations between practice amount and positive health outcomes, and low adherence to recommended home practice (39.6% of the time). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy were the most common interventions.
Population
Patients with chronic pain, including some adolescents.
Effective Dosage
Around four days/week (frequency), with variable duration.
Duration
Not specified in the abstract.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mindfulness-, compassion-, and acceptance-based (i.e., "third wave") psychotherapies | decrease | chronic pain conditions | patients | - | are effective for treating | #1 |
home practice of meditation experiences | increase | meditation skills | patients | - | so they can develop | #2 |
home practice | neutral | frequency of practice | patients with chronic pain undergoing a "third wave" psychotherapy | around four days/week | moderately frequent practice | #3 |
home practice | neutral | time invested | patients with chronic pain undergoing a "third wave" psychotherapy | - | very high variability in terms of | #4 |
home practice | increase | positive health outcomes | patients with chronic pain undergoing a "third wave" psychotherapy | - | significant associations between the amount of practice and | #5 |
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy | decrease | home practice | - | 39.6% of the recommended time | presented low levels of adherence to | #6 |
home practice | decrease | duration of practice | adolescents | - | practiced very few minutes | #7 |
eHealth interventions | neutral | adherence to home practice | - | - | with heterogeneous adherence levels | #8 |
Mindfulness-, compassion-, and acceptance-based (i.e., "third wave") psychotherapies are effective for treating chronic pain conditions. Many of these programs require that patients engage in the systematic home practice of meditation experiences so they can develop meditation skills. This systematic review aimed at evaluating the frequency, duration, and effects of home practice in patients with chronic pain undergoing a "third wave" psychotherapy. A comprehensive database search for quantitative studies was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Sciences Core Collection; 31 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The reviewed studies tended to indicate a pattern of moderately frequent practice (around four days/week), with very high variability in terms of time invested; most studies observed significant associations between the amount of practice and positive health outcomes. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy were the most common interventions and presented low levels of adherence to home practice (39.6% of the recommended time). Some studies were conducted on samples of adolescents, who practiced very few minutes, and a few tested eHealth interventions with heterogeneous adherence levels. In conclusion, some adaptations may be required so that patients with chronic pain can engage more easily and, thus, effectively in home meditation practices.