Back to search results

Mindfulness Meditation and Self-Hypnosis for Chronic Pain in Older Adults

This study is looking for adults aged 60 and older who experience chronic pain to understand how two common psychological treatments, Mindfulness Meditation and Therapeutic Hypnosis, affect the brain. You would be randomly assigned to one of three groups: Mindfulness Meditation, Therapeutic Hypnosis, or Story Listening (which serves as a comparison). Researchers will measure changes in your pain intensity daily and use brain imaging (fMRI) and brain wave activity (EEG) to see how these interventions work. The goal is to learn which treatments work best for whom and how they reduce pain, ultimately improving future treatments for chronic pain.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 375 participants aged 60 and older with chronic pain. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three behavioral intervention groups.
What's involved
You would complete seven study sessions (three in-person at the University of Washington Medical Center and four remote), varying from 45 minutes to 2 hours. You will also complete four online surveys before and four after the study sessions.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Pain intensity will be collected daily for 4 consecutive days starting day 11 post-baseline MRI/fMRI assessment.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06957743

Mechanisms of Mindfulness Meditation and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults With Chronic Pain

Recruiting
NAAges 60+InterventionalTreatment
University of Washington
~375 participants
Updated 2026-06-04 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Mindfulness MeditationTherapeutic HypnosisStory Listening

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in average chronic pain intensity in past 24 hours
Measured over Collected daily for 4 consecutive days at pre-baseline, during EEG procedure, baseline MRI/fMRI assessment, at each of the 4 treatment sessions, 1-week post-baseline MRI, and daily for 4 consecutive days starting day 11 post-baseline MRI/fMRI assessment

Conditions

Chronic Pain

Explore related trials

Chronic Pain

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Washington1

Study leadership

  • Mark Jensen, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Washington
  • Melissa Day, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · The University of Queensland

Who to contact

Rana Salem, MA
[email protected]
206-543-0107
Email the study team

Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.

Do you actually qualify for this trial?

Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.

Check eligibility for this trial ~2 min · HIPAA-protected · delete anytime
Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

never received formal training in or attended a mindfulness meditation or therapeutic hypnosis course;
have not practiced meditation (e.g., mindfulness meditation, Zen, Buddhism, or meditation applications such as certain types of CALM meditation; or therapeutic hypnosis (e.g., hypnosis applications) in the past 6-months;
\<20-min. practice/week of meditation or therapeutic hypnosis (not described above) over the past 6-months; 6. if currently taking analgesic or psychotropic medication, medication must have been stabilized for ≥4-weeks prior to this study and does not anticipate changes in the medication during the study; 7. access to a private place with adequate internet reception to support participation in intervention training sessions; 8. not currently participating in another clinical trial or interventional study for chronic pain and willing to refrain from participation in any other clinical trial or interventional study for chronic pain during active participation in this study; 9. willing, able, and committed to participate in an in-person EEG, and two MRI/fMRI scans; and 10. able to use an electronic device (e.g., smart phone, tablet, computer) independently to access email and webpages or have someone available in their home who can help them with initial session set-up and then leave for the treatment sessions.

What this trial measures

  • Change in average chronic pain intensity in past 24 hoursCollected daily for 4 consecutive days at pre-baseline, during EEG procedure, baseline MRI/fMRI assessment, at each of the 4 treatment sessions, 1-week post-baseline MRI, and daily for 4 consecutive days starting day 11 post-baseline MRI/fMRI assessment

    Change in average chronic pain intensity in the past 24 hours will be measured using a 0-10 numerical rating scale. Participants will be asked to choose a number from 0-10 that best represents their chronic pain intensity in the past 24 hours. Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-reported pain intensity. The four daily assessments will be averaged and change scores will be calculated between pre- and post-treatment.