Multiple SclerosisNCT07573241
Single Arm Trial Identifying Barriers and Facilitators to Mindfulness Practice
A study testing MBCT in people with Multiple Sclerosis, run by University of Washington at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This observational study will examine what emotional, physical, and environmental factors make it easier or harder for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic pain to practice mindfulness daily while participating in a group-based Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Multiple Sclerosis
- What is being tested?
- MBCT
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 80 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 17 Jul 2026to 30 Jun 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Have an MS diagnosis of any subtype per record review
- Average pain intensity in past week of at least moderate severity (>3 on the 0-10 numerical rating scale)
- Report pain >50% of days in the past 3 months.
- Are able to comply with study procedures and complete measures independently via self-report (on mobile phone)
Who cannot join
- Less than 18 years of age
- Score greater than 8 on the Expanded Disability Status Scale
- Have significant cognitive impairment as indicated by 1 or more errors on the 6-item Cognitive Screener
- Change in disease modifying medications in the past 3 months assessed via self-report (although participants will be considered eligible after the 3-month window)
- History of MS relapse within the last 30 days prior to screening assessed via self-report (although participants will be considered eligible after the 3-month window)
- Current suicidal ideation with intent or plan as indicated by a score of 1 or higher on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 suicide item and further assessment with the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (although individuals with suicidal ideation but no intent or plan will be considered eligible)
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- Currently engaged in psychotherapy for pain assessed via self-report
- Currently have a "regular" mindfulness practice defined as > 3 days per week assessed via self-report
- Inability to read or speak English
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, 98104
Erin G Mistretta, PhD, emistr@uw.edu
About this study
This observational study will examine what emotional, physical, and environmental factors make it easier or harder for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic pain to practice mindfulness daily while participating in a group-based Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program.
Read the detailed description
Chronic pain affects about half of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), and standard drug treatments often provide limited relief. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an 8-week program that combines mindfulness practices with cognitive and behavioral coping skills and has shown positive effects on pain severity, pain interference, and pain catastrophizing in PwMS. However, daily home practice is essential to achieving these benefits, and adherence is poor. People with chronic pain complete less than 40 out of every 100 recommended practice sessions. PwMS face unique barriers to practice including pain, fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and mood changes that can fluctuate within a single day. Understanding what drives or interferes with daily practice in this population is critical to improving MBCT outcomes.
This single-arm trial is the first aim of a research project designed to develop and optimize a smartphone-based just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) to support mindfulness practice in PwMS during MBCT for chronic pain (1K23AT013270-01A1, Mistretta, PI). In this aim, 80 PwMS will participate in an 8-week group-based MBCT program delivered via telehealth. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA), a method of collecting real-time self-report data via smartphone, will be used to capture emotional, physical, and environmental factors as they naturally occur in daily life. Participants will complete twice-daily EMA surveys using an EMA smartphone app for 1 week before the program, during the 8-week program, and for 1 week after the program ends. Patient-reported outcome measures will be collected before and after the program.
The primary outcome is whether a participant practiced mindfulness between each EMA survey. Secondary outcomes include minutes practiced, type of practice (formal or informal), and self-rated quality of practice. Time-varying predictors assessed via EMA include positive and negative affect, stress, pain severity, pain interference, fatigue, sleep, location, social context, and time of day. Time-invariant predictors assessed at baseline include pain severity, pain interference, fatigue, pain catastrophizing, dispositional mindfulness, sleep, self-efficacy, depression, and cognitive functioning.
Multilevel modeling will be used to account for the nested data structure (assessments within days, within participants). A two-part modeling approach will assess both whether practice occurred on a given day and, on days when practice did occur, how much practice was completed. Three sets of models will examine same-day, longitudinal, and lagged relationships between predictors and practice outcomes. Predictors demonstrating at least a medium within-person effect on mindfulness practice will be considered as tailoring variables for the JITAI developed in the next phase of this project.
- Conditions
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Being tested
- MBCT
- Medical subject headings
- Multiple Sclerosis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
MBCTBehavioural
Participants will attend eight, 2-hour group treatment MBCT sessions delivered using free video-conferencing technology. Groups will consist of 6-12 people who also have MS and chronic pain. Participants will be asked to practice skills learned in session between sessions. MBCT integrates mindfulness meditation practices within a CBT-oriented framework to address not only unhelpful pain cognitions and behaviors but also attentional control, decoupling of attention from emotion, mindful cognitions, and meditative behavior.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) | Experimental | Participants will attend eight, 2-hour group treatment MBCT sessions delivered using free video-conferencing technology. Groups will consist of 6-12 people who also have MS and chronic pain. Participants will be asked to practice skills learned in session between sessions. MBCT integrates mindfulness meditation practices within a CBT-oriented framework to address not only unhelpful pain cognitions and behaviors but also attentional control, decoupling of attention from emotion, mindful cognitions, and meditative behavior. Receives: Behavioral: MBCT |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Daily Mindfulness Practice
Whether a participant engaged in any formal (for example, sitting meditation) or informal (for example, mindfully engaging in a daily task) mindfulness practice since the last check-in, assessed via a single yes or now question delivered twice daily through the smartphone app. This will also be tracked passively by indicating whether participants accessed a guided meditation in the app itself.
Measured: Twice daily for approximately 10 weeks (1 week before, 8 weeks during, and 1 week after the MBCT program)
Secondary outcomes (2)
Type of Mindfulness Practice
Whether the mindfulness practice completed since the last check-in was formal (for example, sitting meditation using a guided audio recording) or informal (for example, mindfully engaging in a daily task), assessed via a single multiple choice question delivered twice daily through the smartphone app.
Measured: Twice daily for approximately 10 weeks (1 week before, 8 weeks during, and 1 week after the MBCT program)
Quality of Mindfulness Practice
A participant's self-rated quality of their most recent mindfulness practice since the last check-in, assessed via the 1-item Practice Quality-Mindfulness (PQM) scale delivered twice daily through the smartphone app. A higher score indicates higher self-report practice quality.
Measured: Twice daily for approximately 10 weeks (1 week before, 8 weeks during, and 1 week after the MBCT program)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 May 2026
- Study start17 Jul 2026
- Primary completion31 Mar 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Jun 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Multiple SclerosisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of WashingtonThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Washington
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Erin Mistretta, University of Washington
- Investigators
- Erin Mistretta, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Washington
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07573241
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY00023785
- Other IDs
- 1K23AT013270-01A1
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 1 May 2026
- Last updated
- 24 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Upon publication, researchers may request a de-identified dataset containing all variables used in the published article. Requestors will receive the published article, a variable list with labels, and the dataset as an SPSS (.sav) file. Although data files will be stripped of identifiers prior to sharing, there remains a small risk that individuals with unusual combinations of characteristics could potentially be re-identified through deduction. To minimize this risk, the investigators will review each dataset prior to sharing and remove or collapse any variables that could increase re-identification risk.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Single Arm Trial Identifying Barriers and Facilitators to Mindfulness Practice
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07573241
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STUDY00023785
- Conditions
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of WashingtonUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
- Study start
- 17 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Mar 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Jun 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 7 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This observational study will examine what emotional, physical, and environmental factors make it easier or harder for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic pain to practice mindfulness daily while participating in a group-based Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program.
Detailed description
Chronic pain affects about half of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), and standard drug treatments often provide limited relief. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an 8-week program that combines mindfulness practices with cognitive and behavioral coping skills and has shown positive effects on pain severity, pain interference, and pain catastrophizing in PwMS. However, daily home practice is essential to achieving these benefits, and adherence is poor. People with chronic pain complete less than 40 out of every 100 recommended practice sessions. PwMS face unique barriers to practice including pain, fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and mood changes that can fluctuate within a single day. Understanding what drives or interferes with daily practice in this population is critical to improving MBCT outcomes.
This single-arm trial is the first aim of a research project designed to develop and optimize a smartphone-based just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) to support mindfulness practice in PwMS during MBCT for chronic pain (1K23AT013270-01A1, Mistretta, PI). In this aim, 80 PwMS will participate in an 8-week group-based MBCT program delivered via telehealth. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA), a method of collecting real-time self-report data via smartphone, will be used to capture emotional, physical, and environmental factors as they naturally occur in daily life. Participants will complete twice-daily EMA surveys using an EMA smartphone app for 1 week before the program, during the 8-week program, and for 1 week after the program ends. Patient-reported outcome measures will be collected before and after the program.
The primary outcome is whether a participant practiced mindfulness between each EMA survey. Secondary outcomes include minutes practiced, type of practice (formal or informal), and self-rated quality of practice. Time-varying predictors assessed via EMA include positive and negative affect, stress, pain severity, pain interference, fatigue, sleep, location, social context, and time of day. Time-invariant predictors assessed at baseline include pain severity, pain interference, fatigue, pain catastrophizing, dispositional mindfulness, sleep, self-efficacy, depression, and cognitive functioning.
Multilevel modeling will be used to account for the nested data structure (assessments within days, within participants). A two-part modeling approach will assess both whether practice occurred on a given day and, on days when practice did occur, how much practice was completed. Three sets of models will examine same-day, longitudinal, and lagged relationships between predictors and practice outcomes. Predictors demonstrating at least a medium within-person effect on mindfulness practice will be considered as tailoring variables for the JITAI developed in the next phase of this project.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) | Experimental | Behavioral: MBCTParticipants will attend eight, 2-hour group treatment MBCT sessions delivered using free video-conferencing technology. Groups will consist of 6-12 people who also have MS and chronic pain. Participants will be asked to practice skills learned in session between sessions. MBCT integrates mindfulness meditation practices within a CBT-oriented framework to address not only unhelpful pain cognitions and behaviors but also attentional control, decoupling of attention from emotion, mindful cognitions, and meditative behavior. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Have an MS diagnosis of any subtype per record review
- Average pain intensity in past week of at least moderate severity (>3 on the 0-10 numerical rating scale)
- Report pain >50% of days in the past 3 months.
- Are able to comply with study procedures and complete measures independently via self-report (on mobile phone)
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Less than 18 years of age
- Score greater than 8 on the Expanded Disability Status Scale
- Have significant cognitive impairment as indicated by 1 or more errors on the 6-item Cognitive Screener
- Change in disease modifying medications in the past 3 months assessed via self-report (although participants will be considered eligible after the 3-month window)
- History of MS relapse within the last 30 days prior to screening assessed via self-report (although participants will be considered eligible after the 3-month window)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| MBCTParticipants will attend eight, 2-hour group treatment MBCT sessions delivered using free video-conferencing technology. Groups will consist of 6-12 people who also have MS and chronic pain. Participants will be asked to practice skills learned in session between sessions. MBCT integrates mindfulness meditation practices within a CBT-oriented framework to address not only unhelpful pain cognitions and behaviors but also attentional control, decoupling of attention from emotion, mindful cognitions, and meditative behavior. | Behavioural | Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) |
Primary outcome
Daily Mindfulness Practice
Time frame: Twice daily for approximately 10 weeks (1 week before, 8 weeks during, and 1 week after the MBCT program)
Whether a participant engaged in any formal (for example, sitting meditation) or informal (for example, mindfully engaging in a daily task) mindfulness practice since the last check-in, assessed via a single yes or now question delivered twice daily through the smartphone app. This will also be tracked passively by indicating whether participants accessed a guided meditation in the app itself.
2 secondary outcomes
Type of Mindfulness Practice
Time frame: Twice daily for approximately 10 weeks (1 week before, 8 weeks during, and 1 week after the MBCT program)
Quality of Mindfulness Practice
Time frame: Twice daily for approximately 10 weeks (1 week before, 8 weeks during, and 1 week after the MBCT program)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Upon publication, researchers may request a de-identified dataset containing all variables used in the published article. Requestors will receive the published article, a variable list with labels, and the dataset as an SPSS (.sav) file. Although data files will be stripped of identifiers prior to sharing, there remains a small risk that individuals with unusual combinations of characteristics could potentially be re-identified through deduction. To minimize this risk, the investigators will review each dataset prior to sharing and remove or collapse any variables that could increase re-identification risk.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Erin Mistretta, PhD principal investigator
University of Washington
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing MBCT in people with Multiple Sclerosis, run by University of Washington at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Erin G Mistretta, PhD (206-668-4168, emistr@uw.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Daily Mindfulness Practice (time frame: Twice daily for approximately 10 weeks (1 week before, 8 weeks during, and 1 week after the MBCT program)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Jul 2026.