A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program improved depression, anxiety, stress, pain acceptance, well-being, and life satisfaction in people with chronic pain. Thirty-two participants with no prior mindfulness experience were randomly assigned to an MBSR group or a waiting list. Before the program, participants showed attentional biases toward pain-related stimuli. After MBSR, psychological symptoms improved, but attentional patterns changed little; only gaze duration across all stimuli increased. The limited attentional change raises questions about the mechanisms behind the psychological benefits. This was the first study to use eye-tracking to examine MBSR's effect on attention in chronic back pain.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 trials involving 1,153 people with fibromyalgia (1,097 women) found that Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) does not significantly reduce pain severity compared with active control treatments, updating earlier guidance from 2013. MBSR did produce small improvements in quality of life at both short and long term follow up, and reduced pain catastrophising at long term follow up. Effects on pain severity and depression were only significant at short term follow up versus passive control. The certainty of evidence ranged from very low to moderate. The results suggest a lasting, mindfulness-specific mechanism that improves quality of life without directly reducing pain.