Table 3.
Comparison of the effects of MBIs and sham (control) interventions in the chronic pain studies, focusing on the main pain outcomes.
| References | Main aim | Type of sham (control) intervention | Main chronic pain outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severity/ intensity/ frequency | Pain-related disability | Quality of life (health related/ neuropathic-specific) | Medication consumption | Emotional distress (unpleasantness/ catastrophizing/ anxiety/ depression/ coping) | |||
| Davies et al. (2023) | Effects of Specific- and General- sham interventions | - General Sham mindfulness (GSM) - Specific Sham mindfulness (SSM) | MBI=Controls (both GSM and SSM) GSM=SSM | N/A | N/A | MBI=Controls (both GSM and SSM) GSM=SSM | MBI=Controls (both GSM and SSM) GSM=SSM |
| Davoudi et al. (2021) | Vitamin D effects | Pharmacologic placebo | MBI>Control | MBI>Control | MBI>Control | N/A | N/A |
| Khatib et al. (2024) | Opioid effects in MBI and Sham-MBI | - Sham-matched mindfulness - Saline infusion | MBI> sham mindfulness | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Schmidt et al. (2011) | MBSR in fibromyalgia | General Sham Mindfulness (GSM) | N/A | N/A | MBI=GSMa | N/A | N/A |
| Seminowicz et al. (2020) | MBSR in headache | Stress management | MBI>Control | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Westenberg et al. (2018) | Mindfulness-based video exercise | Attention placebo control | MBI>Control | N/A | N/A | N/A | MBI>Control |
| Zautra et al. (2008) | Mindfulness in arthritis | Attention placebo control (education) | M>Controlb | N/A | N/A | N/A | MBI>Controlb |
MBI>Control means that the effect of MBI was significantly higher than the sham intervention.
aGeneral Active Sham (Active Control) had statistically significant effects in secondary outcomes in longitudinal analysis and comparison with passive control.
bDependent on history of recurrent depression.