Mindfulness combined with open-label placebo for chronic pain
Official title: Investigating the Feasibility of Combining Mindfulness Intervention and Open-Label Placebo Treatment for Chronic Pain
Funded at Arizona State University-Tempe Campus · NIH-11302707 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether adding an open-label placebo to a mindfulness program helps adults with chronic pain reduce pain and improve daily functioning.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Arizona State University-Tempe Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project start | July 26, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $235,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R34AT012677-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11302707 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults (21+) with ongoing chronic pain who can attend study visits and are willing to participate in mindfulness sessions and an open-label placebo protocol.
✕Less likely to help
People with no pain sensation, those needing immediate opioid-level pain control, or anyone unwilling to engage in mindfulness practice or placebo procedures are unlikely to benefit from this trial.
What this research studies
If you have ongoing chronic pain, you could be randomly assigned to a mindfulness program, an open-label placebo treatment, or both. The study is a single-site, three-arm randomized trial at Arizona State University that will collect measures of pain, function, and treatment acceptability. Researchers will follow participants over time to see whether the combination produces stronger or longer-lasting relief than either approach alone. The team will also monitor adherence and practical issues to determine whether the combined approach is feasible for broader use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the combined approach could offer adults with chronic pain a safer, non-opioid way to reduce pain and improve quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show modest pain benefits from mindfulness and promise from open-label placebo, but combining the two is a new approach being tested here.
Where this research is happening
-
Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
Scottsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mun, Chung Jung — Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
- Study coordinator: Mun, Chung Jung
Related research
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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.