Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for headache pain: An evaluation of the long-term maintenance of effects

Abstract

Please cite this article as: Day Melissa A, Thorn Beverly E.Mindfulnessbased cognitive therapy for headache pain: An evaluation of the longterm maintenance of effects.Complementary Therapies in Medicine http://dx.doi.org/10. 1016/j.ctim.2017.06.009 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. AbstractObjectives. This study aimed to examine the durability of gain patterns following an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for headache pain program. Design.A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial was conducted.Participants (N=19) were individuals with headache pain who completed both the MBCT program as well as a 6-month follow-up assessment at a headache clinic or a university psychology clinic. Standardized measures of the primary outcomes (pain intensity and pain interference) and secondary outcomes (pain catastrophizing, mindfulness, activity engagement, pain willingness, and self-efficacy) were administered. Paired-samples t tests and effect sizes were examined.Results. Significant (uncorrected ps<.05) pre-to post-treatment gains were found for pain intensity, pain interference, pain catastrophizing, activity engagement and self-efficacy, and these gains were maintained at 6-months post-treatment. Effect sizes for the significant changes from pre-to post-treatment, and from pre-treatment to follow-up were mostly consistent across epochs (.62 ≤ ds ≤ -1.40), indicating steady maintenance of effects.Improvement in mindfulness and pain willingness was non-significant immediately posttreatment and at follow-up, with small effects observed.Conclusions. This study adds to a growing body of literature supporting the durability of MBCT for painful conditions. Results indicated a consistent pattern of maintenance of treatment-related gains across a number of key pain-related outcomes. Future research with a 3 larger sample is needed to investigate the mechanisms underlying these continued gains in order to optimize targeted relapse-prevention.

A 7‐year follow‐up study of the Mindfulness‐Based Program for Infertility: Are there long‐term effects?

“…In conclusion, and despite the aforementioned limitations, findings are consistent with the ones of other mindfulness-and acceptancebased interventions follow-up studies for medical conditions such as headache pain, endometriosis, recurrent depression, and diabetes (Day & Thorn, 2017;Hansen, Kesmodel, Kold, & Forman, 2017;Meadows et al, 2014;van Son et al, 2014). Furthermore, it is also worth noting the low attrition rate in the group who completed the MBPI over the course of the 7-year period, bearing in mind that this is a quite long period and that the main aim of the study was to explore whether the MBPI results were maintained over time.…”

Does Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy for Migraine Reduce Migraine‐Related Disability in People with Episodic and Chronic Migraine? A Phase 2b Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

“…Earlier research with MBCT for depression treatment and relapse prevention defined the treatment targets of mindfulness meditation skills and disease-related cognitions and refined the classic 8-week, group delivery intervention protocol. 31,34 This treatment protocol was further refined for migraine (MBCT for Migraine; MBCT-M) in an individual format for the current trial. 31,34 This treatment protocol was further refined for migraine (MBCT for Migraine; MBCT-M) in an individual format for the current trial.…”

“…25,33 The two-armed trial in people with primary headache disorders tailored the protocol for headache and demonstrated proof-of-concept in this population. 31,34 This treatment protocol was further refined for migraine (MBCT for Migraine; MBCT-M) in an individual format for the current trial. 35 The current Phase 2b study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of MBCT-M to reduce migraine-related disability in people with migraine.…”

Mindfulness in Patients with Upper-Extremity Conditions: A Summary of Existing Literature

“…This makes it difficult to draw conclusions about the durability of the desired effect, though promising and long lasting results have been demonstrated in different patient populations. 35,36 It should also be noted that the studies by Voskuijl and Ring and Beks et al did not describe any adjustment of statistical inference in their bivariate analysis of multiple comparisons. Third, it should be noted that all studies included were performed in the same outpatient office by the same research group, which potentially is a source for shared bias.…”