Pain, Acute
Conditions
Keywords
Mindfulness meditation, Clinical hypnosis, Elite athletes
Brief summary
This study will utilize a replicated single case experimental design (RSCD) to investigate the effectiveness of a brief mindfulness meditation (MM) vs clinical hypnosis (HYP) training for improving pain in injured elite athletes. The primary outcome is change in pain intensity. It is hypothesized that: (1) both treatments will engender clinically meaningful improvement in pain intensity; (2) change in cognitive processes will be a unique mechanism underlying improved pain outcome in MM, and (3) change in cognitive content will be a unique mechanism underlying improved pain outcome in HYP. This research program has the potential to reduce athletes' uncertainty around pain, time out with injury and improve pain management during rehabilitation and recovery from injury.
Detailed description
The proposed program of research will utilize our current understanding of the Behavioral Inhibition System and Behavioral Activation System (BIS-BAS) model of pain and mind-body therapies and apply it to pain experienced by injured elite athletes. This study will be a replicated single case experimental design (RSCD), which will investigate the effectiveness of a brief mindfulness meditation (MM) vs clinical hypnosis (HYP) training for improving the primary outcome of pain intensity in injured elite athletes. It will also investigate the potential mechanism role of change in cognitive content and cognitive processes in underlying the effects of these mind-body therapies. It is hypothesized that: (1) both treatments will engender clinically meaningful improvement in pain intensity; (2) change in cognitive processes will be a unique mechanism underlying improved pain outcome in MM, and (3) change in cognitive content will be a unique mechanism underlying improved pain outcome in HYP. This research program has the potential to reduce athletes' uncertainty around pain, time out with injury and improve pain management during rehabilitation and recovery from injury.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALMindfulness Meditation
Five, 20-minute audio-recorded training sessions of mindfulness of breath and body meditation, practiced over consecutive days, delivered remotely via Qualtrics.
BEHAVIORALClinical Hypnosis
Five, 20-minute audio-recorded training sessions of clinical hypnosis with suggestions targeting pain management, practiced over consecutive days, delivered remotely via Qualtrics.
Sponsors
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
The University of Queensland
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
The outcome assessor will be blind to participant condition.
Intervention model description
Replicated single case experimental design
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* be an elite athlete (i.e., competing at international or division 1 varsity level), * currently have a sport or exercise-related injury that resulted in an average pain intensity greater than or equal to 3 on a 0-10 numerical rating scale in the past week, and for which the predicted recovery time at the point of study enrolment is greater than 5 weeks, * Be 18 or over. * Read, speak, and understand the English language. * Have access to the internet on a computer or smartphone. * Have access to a set of headphones. * Be willing to be randomly assigned to both conditions and listen to five 20-minute treatment sessions. * Be willing to participate in a daily survey for 25 consecutive days.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) of Current Pain Intensity | Assessed online daily during randomized baseline length of 5, 10 or 15 days, 5 day treatment period, and randomized post-treatment phase of 5, 10 or 15 days of assessment | Change in pain intensity will be measured using a 0-10 numerical rating scale (NRS) of average pain in the past 24 hours. Participants will be asked to choose a number from 0-10 that best represents their pain intensity. Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-reported pain intensity. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) of Current Pain Unpleasantness | Assessed online daily during randomized baseline length of 5, 10 or 15 days, 5 day treatment period, and randomized post-treatment phase of 5, 10 or 15 days of assessment | Change in pain unpleasantness will be measured using a 0-10 numerical rating scale (NRS) of average pain unpleasantness in the past 24 hours. Participants will be asked to choose a number from 0-10 that best represents their pain unpleasantness. Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-reported pain unpleasantness. |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, 9-item SF, Stress Subscale | Assessed online daily during randomized baseline length of 5, 10 or 15 days, 5 day treatment period, and randomized post-treatment phase of 5, 10 or 15 days of assessment | Change in general stress will be measured, with participants indicating how often they experience certain stress responses on a scale from 0 (never) to 3 (almost always). |
| Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Serene Affect Subscale | Assessed online daily during randomized baseline length of 5, 10 or 15 days, 5 day treatment period, and randomized post-treatment phase of 5, 10 or 15 days of assessment | Change in serene affect will be measured with participants rating three adjectives describing serenity affect (i.e., relaxed, at ease, calm) on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 (very slightly or not at all) to 5 (extremely). |
Countries
Australia
Outcome results
None listed