Patients with Chronic Pain: Are Mindfulness Traits Protective Against Distress, Anxiety and Depression?
Mario Miniati, Graziella Orrù, Mery Paroli, Maristella Cinque, Adriana Paolicchi, Angelo Gemignani, Giulio Perugi, Rebecca Ciacchini, Donatella Marazziti, Laura Palagini, Ciro Conversano
Clinical neuropsychiatry October 1, 2023 DOI: 10.36131/cnfioritieditore20230505
Summary
Chronic pain patients with high levels of mindfulness experienced significantly less distress and depression. Among 50 participants, 52% scored above the mindfulness threshold. Those with high mindfulness reported lower pain-related disability (4.5 vs. 6.4), reduced perceived stress (17.8 vs. 20.9), and fewer depressive symptoms (7.8 vs. 17.6). Additionally, high mindfulness was linked to better overall wellbeing, accounting for 71.6% of variance in psychological health scores. This highlights the potential benefits of mindfulness in managing chronic pain and its emotional impact.
Abstract
To investigate mindfulness traits/attitudes as protective factors against chronic pain related distress, depression and anxiety. Fifty patients (25 with chronic non-oncologic pain-NOP; 25 with chronic oncologic pain-COP) were administered with the following scales: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Pain Disability Index (PDI), Italian Questionnaire for Pain (QUID), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), State and Trait Anxiety Scale (STAY-y1 module), Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Psychological General Well Being Index (PGWBI), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). MAAS value ≥ 4.38 was adopted as cut-off to compare 'high level of mindfulness' (HM) vs. 'normal level of mindfulness' (NM) attitudes. Twenty-six patients (52%) scored ≥4.38, with no different distribution between NOP and COP. HM patients scored significantly lower than NM patients on PDI 'family/home responsibilities' domain (4.5±3.2 vs. 6.4±2.8; p<.037), and on PSS (17.8±2.6 vs. 20.9±2.5; p<.0001), STAY-y1 (9.4±1.8 vs. 10.3±2.1; p<.0001), BDI-II (7.8±5.0 vs. 17.6±8.6; p<.0001) total scores. HM scored significantly higher than NM patients in all PGWBI domains. A multiple regression analysis was carried out to analyze the predictor variables of PGWB. The most complete model considered the variables MAAS, STAIy and VAS (F=42.21; p<.0001), that accounted for the 71.6% of PGWB variance. MAAS score was the only variable positively predicting for PGWB; STAIy and VAS scores predicted negatively. Chronic pain patients with high levels of mindfulness attitudes experienced less distress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and more physical and general wellbeing than patients with low levels of mindfulness attitudes.