A Mobile-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Chronic Pain

Abstract

Very little is known about effective interventions for chronic pain in young adults. Available treatments are often inaccessible and unaffordable. The present study tested the effects of a newly developed 12-minute mobile-based mindfulness application on mood, pain intensity and present-awareness in four groups of university students (n=180) with chronic pain, symptoms of depression/anxiety, and condition-free controls with and without a mobile application. Results revealed that anxiety, distress, and anger were significantly reduced post intervention in participants with chronic pain and mood/anxiety symptoms. Pain intensity and present awareness remained unaffected post intervention. This study was one of the first to show the effectiveness of a brief mobile-based intervention in altering unpleasant mood states in young adults with chronic pain and depression/anxiety. These findings have highlighted the potential benefits of using technological interventions to improve mental health symptoms in individuals with chronic pain and symptoms of depression and anxiety.