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Pain Disengagement Training (Open Pilot)
Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital
Summary
The investigators aim to conduct an open pilot trial to determine the initial feasibility of a self-directed writing-based intervention in individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain and elevated pain catastrophizing. The investigators will assess the feasibility of recruitment, acceptability of the treatment, credibility and participant satisfaction, treatment adherence, and feasibility of assessments following pre-specified benchmarks.
Official title: Pain Disengagement Training: A Self-directed Intervention for Pain Catastrophizing (Open Pilot)
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
10
Start Date
2025-10-14
Completion Date
2026-03
Last Updated
2025-10-23
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Pain Disengagement Training
The intervention involves approximately 8 sessions. The first session will involve a psychoeducation component describing the association between negative emotions and pain and the rationale for the intervention strategies. The intervention sessions will consist of approximately 30 minutes of writing alternating between imaginal exposure writing and positive writing periods alternating back and forth (e.g., 3-5 minutes of imaginal exposure writing followed by 3-5 minutes of positive writing before returning to imaginal exposure writing, etc.). Exposure writing will involve writing about a pain-related catastrophic worry repeatedly until it becomes less anxiety-provoking. The positive writing topics will change with each prompt and will be structured by session theme (e.g., values/goals, meaningful activities). They will also complete between session practice by setting aside a time for worrying and then completing a meaningful activity.
Locations (1)
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States