Positive impacts of psychological pain treatments: Supplementary analyses of a randomized clinical trial.
Erica J Ho, Aaron P Turner, Mark P Jensen and 4 others
PMID 38546554WHAT IT FOUND
Hypnosis and mindfulness maintained improvements in positive psychosocial impact at six months, while pain education effects faded.
There were no differences between groups immediately post-treatment or at three months, suggesting these skills help sustain well-being over time.
Key findings
01Participants in hypnosis and mindfulness groups reported significantly greater positive psychosocial impact than the education group at six-month follow-up.
02All three interventions improved positive psychosocial impact scores from pre- to post-treatment, but there were no between-group differences at that immediate endpoint.
03The education group's improvement in positive impact drifted back toward pre-treatment levels by six months, while the other two groups maintained their gains.
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
This was a post-hoc supplementary analysis of an existing trial, not a pre-registered study designed to test these specific outcomes. The sample consisted entirely of military veterans, so results may not generalize to the broader population. The PIIP measure uses the term 'illness' for pain, which may have confused participants since chronic pain is not always viewed as a discrete illness. The study was not powered to detect differences in this specific secondary outcome, and the PIIP scale was added to the trial mid-way through data collection.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that hypnosis and mindfulness are superior to pain education for immediate relief or short-term gains. The benefits of these interventions on positive psychosocial impact only emerged at the six-month mark, suggesting they work by helping patients sustain well-being over time rather than providing a quick fix.