Adverse Childhood Experiences, Chronic Pain, Trauma
Conditions
Brief summary
The goal of this study is to understand whether a brief, three session program can be helpful in reducing symptoms related to both chronic pain and stressful experiences/trauma.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALTrauma Focused Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET)
The intervention is three-session program which includes pain neuroscience education, education on the relationship between trauma and chronic pain, and skills training to reduce pain- and stress-related symptoms.
Sponsors
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
21 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Presence of a chronic pain condition (pain for at least 3 months or more) * History of psychosocial trauma or stressful experience (Adverse Childhood Events questionnaire \[ACEs\] score of ≥ 3 OR Trauma History Questionnaire Score \[THQ\] of ≥ 2) * English fluency * Access to a smartphone, laptop, or computer * Able to participate in the intervention via a virtual platform
Exclusion criteria
* Unable to participate in 3 weekly sessions * Unable to complete study procedures due to the presence of delirium, dementia, psychosis, or other cognitive impairment
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feasibility of Recruitment | At screening | Feasibility of recruitment: Rate of ≥70% of the patients who are identified as eligible for the study will agree to participate and enroll. |
| Treatment Completion | From enrollment to end of treatment at 4 weeks | Rate of ≥70% of participants who start the intervention will complete at least 2 of the 3 sessions. |
| Feasibility of Data Collection | At end of treatment at (~4 weeks post-enrollment), and at 1-month follow-up (~8 weeks post-enrollment) | Rate of ≥70% of participants will complete the survey at end of treatment and at 1-month follow-up. |
| Treatment Credibility | At end of treatment at (~4 weeks post-enrollment), and at 1-month follow-up (~8 weeks post-enrollment) | Rate of ≥70% of participants will report average credibility and expectancy scores greater than the scale's midpoint. |
| Treatment Helpfulness | At end of treatment at (~4 weeks post-enrollment), and at 1-month follow-up (~8 weeks post-enrollment) | Rate of ≥70% participants will report average treatment helpfulness scores greater than the scale's midpoint. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Interference | At end of treatment at (~4 weeks post-enrollment), and at 1-month follow-up (~8 weeks post-enrollment) | Pain interference Sub-scale of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29 (PROMIS-29). Range 4-20; higher scores indicate worse pain interference. |
| Pain Catastrophizing | At end of treatment at (~4 weeks post-enrollment), and at 1-month follow-up (~8 weeks post-enrollment) | Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS); Range 0-52; higher scores indicate worse pain catastrophizing. |
| Posttraumtic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms | At end of treatment at (~4 weeks post-enrollment), and at 1-month follow-up (~8 weeks post-enrollment) | PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5); Range 0-80; higher scores indicate worse PTSD symptoms. |
| Kinesiophobia | At end of treatment at (~4 weeks post-enrollment), and at 1-month follow-up (~8 weeks post-enrollment) | Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK); Range 17-68; higher scores indicate worse kinesiophobia. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed