Exploring how stress resilience and mindfulness can help manage rheumatoid arthritis
Official title: Defining stress REsilience And Mindfulness Effects in Rheumatoid Arthritis (DREAMER)
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11004616 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how stress affects people with rheumatoid arthritis and whether practicing mindfulness can help ease their pain and improve their overall well-being.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $174,150 |
| NIH project number | 5K23AT011768-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11004616 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis who experience significant stress and are seeking alternative methods to manage their condition.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are not interested in mindfulness practices or who have severe comorbidities that limit their ability to participate may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the impact of psychological stress and mindfulness-based interventions on patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It aims to understand how stress affects disease activity and whether mindfulness practices can improve symptoms and reduce disease flares. By focusing on non-pharmacologic strategies, the study seeks to enhance the overall management of RA and improve patients' quality of life. Participants will engage in mindfulness-based programs to assess their effectiveness in alleviating pain and stress.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide patients with effective non-drug strategies to manage their rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and improve their overall well-being.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that mindfulness-based interventions can be beneficial in managing stress and pain in chronic diseases, suggesting potential success for this approach in rheumatoid arthritis.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Patterson, Sarah Lynn — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Patterson, Sarah Lynn
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Gut microbes and methotrexate: boosting RA treatment through microbiome targets
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-
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-
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A short study to understand how certain scavenger receptors may influence the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis in adults.
-
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This project looks at how rheumatoid arthritis affects blood vessels and clotting, with the goal of uncovering new ways to prevent heart and stroke risk for people with RA.
-
Risk factors and biomarkers for progression of subclinical RA-related lung disease
This study follows people with rheumatoid arthritis to understand who develops lung disease and what biomarkers predict it.
-
Pregnancy changes in rheumatoid arthritis and new treatment ideas
This research seeks to understand why some women’s rheumatoid arthritis improves during pregnancy and how to predict and mimic that effect to make treatments safer and more effective for pregnant patients.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.