Mindfulness and chronic pain in adolescents
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Is Dispositional Mindfulness an Important Resilience Resource in the Context of Adolescent Chronic Pain?
IRAS ID
202295
Contact name
Samuel M Waldron
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 1 days
Research summary
Physical pain that lasts for a long time and is hard to treat affects different people in different ways. Recent research with adults has shown that a general tendency to be aware of present moment experience without judgment (dispositional mindfulness) is positively associated with lower levels of psychological distress in the context of chronic pain.
However, adolescents are not the same as adults, and differences in mental development and coping styles may mean that 'mindfulness' has different effects, compared to adults.
This study aims to explore, for the first time, the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and psychological distress in 100 adolescents seeking help for chronic pain. Participants will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires about the pain they experience, how it affects their day-to-day life and their general tendency to be aware of present moment experience without judgment.
The scores from these questionnaires will be analysed to assess whether adolescent dispositional mindfulness protects against psychological distress in the context of chronic pain in the same way as found with adults.
This study is important because it will help evaluate whether a general tendency to be aware of present moment experience without judgment protects against psychological distress in the context of adolescent chronic pain. If it does, then this would suggest that cognitive behavioural treatments should include components aimed at developing mindfulness skills.
REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EE/0319
Date of REC Opinion
5 Aug 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion