The Clinical journal of pain
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Mechanisms of Mindfulness Meditation, Cognitive Therapy, and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain.
This study evaluated theoretically derived mechanisms and common therapeutic factors to test their role in accounting for pain-related outcome change during group-delivered cognitive therapy, mindfulness meditation, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for chronic low back pain. ⋯ Cognitive therapy, mindfulness meditation, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for chronic low back pain were all associated with significant changes in the primary mechanisms to a similar degree. Change in perceived pain control and pain catastrophizing emerged as potential "meta-mechanisms" that might be a shared pathway that contributes to improved pain-related outcomes across treatments. Further, strong working alliance may represent a critical therapeutic process that both promotes and interacts with therapeutic techniques to influence outcome.