Feasibility of Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Veterans Managing Chronic Pain.
Shu-Ping Chen, Huei-Tsz Liu, Joanne C Appelt and 4 others
PMID 36788126WHAT IT FOUND
Veterans with chronic pain who completed a 12-week mindfulness program reported less catastrophic thinking about their pain, but their actual pain intensity scores did not significantly decrease.
High dropout rates and the lack of a control group mean these results are preliminary and cannot confirm the program works.
Key findings
01Pain catastrophizing scores significantly decreased from a mean of 32.58 to 24.32, crossing the clinical threshold of 30.
02Self-reported pain intensity on a numeric scale showed no statistically significant change after the intervention.
03Twenty percent of enrolled veterans dropped out of the program, with mental health deterioration being a primary reason.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study lacked a control group and randomization, making it impossible to attribute changes solely to the intervention. The sample size was very small (19 participants analyzed), which limits the statistical power and generalizability of the findings. Attrition was high, with 20% of enrolled participants dropping out, potentially biasing the results toward those who tolerated the group format. The third group transitioned to an online format mid-study due to the pandemic, introducing an uncontrolled variable that may have affected engagement and outcomes.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the University of Manitoba and Veterans Affairs Canada. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the significant reduction in pain catastrophizing as proof that the program reduces pain intensity. The pain scores themselves did not change significantly, and the lack of a control group means we cannot rule out natural variation or placebo effects.