Rehabilitation Psychology Postoctoral Fellow Erin Mistretta, PhD, has been awarded a $15,537 Francisco P. Varela Research Grant from the Mind & Life Institute. These competitive grants fund early-career scientists and scholars who research contemplative practices, with the ultimate goal of gaining insights that can reduce human suffering and promote flourishing.
The grant will support a qualitative study exploring the experiences of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have participated in mindfulness interventions for chronic pain. The study will ask about their experience with these interventions and barriers to meditation practice. Dr. Mistretta aims to develop a just-in-time adaptive intervention to bolster engagement with mindfulness practice for chronic pain.