Pain Disengagement Training (Open Pilot)

Launched by MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · Mar 5, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring a new approach to help people with chronic musculoskeletal pain, which is pain that lasts for more than three months. The researchers want to see if a writing-based program can help individuals manage their pain better, especially those who tend to worry a lot about their pain. The study will look at how easy it is to recruit participants, how well they accept and stick to the program, and how satisfied they are with the treatment.

To be eligible for this trial, participants need to be adults aged 18 or older who have been experiencing moderate to severe pain and have high levels of pain-related worry. They should also be able to write or type for at least 30 minutes. Participants will need to have received care at Massachusetts General Hospital and be comfortable writing in English. It’s important to note that individuals with serious mental health issues or those who have recently changed their medical treatment won’t be able to participate. This trial is currently not recruiting participants, but it aims to provide valuable insights into how writing can help manage chronic pain.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Outpatient adults (i.e., greater than or equal to 18)
• • 2. Has self reported chronic musculoskeletal pain (i.e., pain persisting for at least 3 months)
• • 3. Pain score greater than or equal to 4 (moderate) on the Numerical Rating Scale
• • 4. Pain catastrophizing score greater than or equal to 20 on Pain Catastrophizing Scale
• • 5. Willingness to engage in a writing-based intervention and self-reported ability to write or type for at least 30 minutes in a sitting
• • 6. Received care at Massachusetts General Hospital
• • 7. English verbal and writing fluency
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Clinically significant change in therapy or medication in the past 3 months
• • 2. Severe untreated mental health condition (e.g., psychosis)
• • 3. Active suicidality with history of plan or current intent
• • 4. Serious illness expected to worsen in the next 6 months (e.g., cancer)
• • 5. Untreated substance use problem that, per patient's self-report, would interfere with the ability to complete the intervention.