Trial reportAnnals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine2025
Changing mindsets about methotrexate in the rheumatology clinic to reduce side effects and improve adherence: a randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Antirheumatic Medication Calendar Significantly Improves Adherence in First-Time Methotrexate Users: A Prospective, Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.Patient preference and adherence · 2025Trial
- Expectations predict early pregnancy-related symptom burden.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- The Prevalence of Patient Mindsets in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Relationship with Physical and Psychological Outcomes.International journal of behavioral medicine · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPatients' negative expectations about medication can exacerbate side effect burden leading to low adherence and persistence. A novel intervention involves targeting mindsets about non-severe symptoms; reframing them as encouraging signs of medication working. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess whether a brief symptom-mindset intervention can improve symptom experience and adherence in patients starting methotrexate to treat an inflammatory rheumatic disease.
methodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted with patients starting methotrexate. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to a mindset intervention or standard information control condition. Symptom mindset was assessed after 4 weeks to check intervention efficacy. The primary outcome was symptom experience after 4 weeks. Secondary outcomes were adherence and motivation to take methotrexate (4 weeks), as well as continuation and C-reactive protein (12 weeks).
resultsForty-seven participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 24) or control group (n = 23). All participants completed the study. After 4 weeks, compared to the control group, intervention participants endorsed more positive symptom mindsets, experienced less symptom burden (mean difference -2.70 [95% CI, -4.50, -0.90] P = .005), fewer general symptoms (3.53 [-6.99, .79] P = .045) and a similar number of methotrexate-specific symptoms (-0.79 [-2.29, 0.71] P = .295). The intervention group had better motivation and adherence to methotrexate at 4 weeks and better continuation, and C-reactive protein at 12 weeks than the control group. There was no difference in side effect attribution.
conclusionsIn patients starting methotrexate, a mindset intervention reframing the role of non-severe side effects is a promising approach for improving symptom experience and early stage medication persistence.
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Registered trials
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