Evaluation of a Spanish-language Adaptation of Brief Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Chronic Pain: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

A brief, Spanish-language adaptation of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (Spanish B-MORE) was tested in a pilot randomized controlled trial with 20 Spanish-speaking adults experiencing chronic pain. Participants rated the intervention as highly acceptable, averaging 9.4 out of 10, and would recommend it to others. Immediately after sessions, pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and anxiety all decreased with large effect sizes. At six weeks, those who received B-MORE showed greater improvements across all clinical outcomes compared to a waitlist control group. The intervention appears to be a brief, scalable, and culturally responsive option for chronic pain in Spanish-speaking populations, warranting further study in larger trials.

Study at a glance

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Spanish-speaking individuals in the U.S. face a number of barriers to quality pain care and limited access to culturally adapted treatments. While mindfulness-based interventions are effective for chronic pain, few have been translated for Spanish-speaking populations. This pilot study tested a brief, Spanish-language adaptation of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (Spanish B-MORE) for Spanish-speaking adults with chronic pain. METHODS: A single-site, waitlist-controlled randomized clinical trial was conducted to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of Spanish B-MORE. Spanish-speaking adults with chronic pain (N = 20) were randomized 1:1 to receive the Spanish B-MORE intervention or a waitlist control. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 2-week, and 6-week follow-up. Primary outcome was chronic pain symptoms (PEG-3); secondary and tertiary outcomes included participant-rated intervention acceptability, depression, anxiety, well-being, pain catastrophizing, and proposed therapeutic mechanisms (self-transcendence, mindful reappraisal of pain). Acute effects were also assessed immediately before and after the intervention sessions. RESULTS: All participants completed both sessions and all follow-ups. Participants rated the intervention as highly acceptable (M = 9.4/10) and would recommend it to others (M = 9.67/10). Immediately following the intervention, B-MORE significantly reduced pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and anxiety, all with large Cohen's d effect sizes (d = 1.32-1.48). At six weeks, relative to those in the waitlist-controlled condition, B-MORE participants showed greater improvements on all clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Spanish B-MORE may represent a brief, scalable, and culturally responsive intervention for chronic pain in Spanish-speaking populations. These promising findings support further evaluation in larger trials. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT06316713.