Mindfulness buffers the association of pain with depression and anxiety among people with spinal cord injury: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Chronic pain is common among people with spinal cord injury (PwSCI) and impacts mental health (MH). Mindfulness may buffer the association of pain with MH, but few studies have examined this among PwSCI. This study examines the extent to which mindfulness moderates the association of pain intensity with MH among PwSCI.

METHOD: PwSCI (N = 64) and chronic pain provided demographic and disability information, ratings of pain intensity (0-10 Numeric Rating Scale), pain interference, depression (eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-8]), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 [GAD-7]), positive affect/wellbeing (SCI-QOL Positive Affect and Well-Being Short Form [PAWB-SF]), stress (Perceived Stress Scale-4 [PSS-4]), and mindfulness (15-item Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire [FFMQ-15]) at the time of their enrollment in a randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness intervention. The present, cross-sectional study used baseline data. Pain intensity, pain interference, mindfulness (FFMQ-15), the Pain Intensity × FFMQ-15 interaction, and relevant covariates were regressed on the four outcome measures (PHQ-8, GAD-7, PAWB-SF, and PSS-4).

RESULTS

There was a significant Pain Intensity × FFMQ-15 interaction effect on PHQ-8 (p = .008) and GAD-7 (p = .021), such that mindfulness buffered the positive relation of pain intensity with depression and anxiety. Additionally, there was a significant Pain Intensity × FFMQ-15 interaction effect on PAWB-SF (p = .032), but contrary to the hypothesis, mindfulness intensified a positive relation between pain intensity and positive affect/well-being.

CONCLUSION

Dispositional mindfulness may buffer the association of pain intensity with depression and anxiety. Examining interventions to enhance mindfulness among PwSCI is warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).