Intervention
Barriers and facilitators (sometimes called "contextual determinants") are factors that make it harder or easier to implement mindfulness-based interventions for pain. These factors span multiple levels. Click the buttons on the left to read more about common barriers and facilitators for mindfulness-based interventions for pain. In addition, view the RASC guides on Contextual Determinants Affecting Implementation and the Inventory of Factors Affecting Successful Implementation and Sustainment (IFASIS) to learn practical ways to assess these constructs.
How Mindfulness-Based Interventions are delivered, like session length, group format, and provision of resources for at-home practice, can both help and hurt participant engagement and attrition.
Barriers
When delivered as designed, many Mindfulness-Based Intervention (MBI) programs require sessions of two hours or longer. This can serve as a barrier to engagement for individuals with limited time due to work or childcare commitments, for example, or for whom sitting still for two hours is uncomfortable.
Participants in MBI may have adverse reactions to other group members that may lead to negative outcomes and discontinuation of the treatment. For example, the presence of disruptive participants or mixed-gender groups for individuals with trauma histories could negatively impact how an individual is able to engage in the group setting.
Facilitators
Physical materials, such as forms and notebooks, and homework assignments between sessions, can help participants learn and engage more easily with mindfulness skills.
Participants often feel supported by other group members, which improves their mastery of mindfulness skills and helps them feel less isolated in their pain experience.
Messages sent via text, instant message, or email can help encourage at-home practice of mindfulness and other MBI skills.