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Behavioral Intervention

Psychosocial Therapies for Chronic Pain (MATCH Trial)

N/A

Recruiting

Led By Rhonda M Williams, Ph.D.

Research Sponsored by University of Washington

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Willing to refrain from participation in any other clinical trial or interventional study for chronic pain during active participation in this study

Having chronic pain, operationalized as average pain intensity in the last week rated as ≥ 3 on a 0-10 Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) and having pain on most days for 3 months or more

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up assessed online up to 4 times within a 7-day period at pre-tx, 2-week, 4-week, 6-week, post-tx (8-week), and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups.

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial is researching factors that predict response to psychosocial treatments for chronic pain, such as CBT, MBCT, and HYP-CT, to develop an algorithm to match patients to the most effective treatment.

Who is the study for?

Adults over 18 with chronic pain, defined as having an average pain intensity of ≥3 on a scale of 0-10 for at least three months. Participants must speak English, have internet access for videoconferencing sessions, and be willing to avoid other clinical trials during the study. They should also be able to attend an in-person EEG assessment and use digital devices for communication.

What is being tested?

The MATCH Study is testing whether Hypnotic Cognitive Therapy (HYP-CT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are effective treatments for chronic pain. It aims to identify which therapy works best based on individual patient factors like brain activity and personality traits.

What are the potential side effects?

Since HYP-CT, MBCT, and CBT are psychological therapies involving counseling and mental exercises rather than drugs, they typically do not cause physical side effects. However, participants may experience emotional discomfort or increased awareness of their pain during treatment.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below

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I agree not to join any other studies for chronic pain while in this trial.

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I have been in pain most days for the last 3 months, rating it 3 or higher out of 10.

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I am 18 years old or older.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ assessed online at pre-tx, 2-week, 4-week, 6-week, post-tx (8-week), and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups.

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~assessed online at pre-tx, 2-week, 4-week, 6-week, post-tx (8-week), and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups.

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and assessed online at pre-tx, 2-week, 4-week, 6-week, post-tx (8-week), and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Change in Average Daily Pain Intensity

Secondary study objectives

Change in Alcohol Use

Change in Anxiety

Change in Cannabis Use

+14 more

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

4Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) conditionExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants randomized to this arm will be taught about the role of MBCT in training the mind to respond more adaptively to pain. This technique will help participants: (1) apply the skills they learn not only to pain but also to the problems pain causes for them, including sleep disturbance, depressed mood, stress, and other problems; (2) build on their strengths and their innate ability to focus their attention at will, and to use this ability to mindfully perceive experience in a non-judgmental, non-reactive way; and (3) notice their moment-to-moment experience and to shift their relationship to this experience. With enhanced mindful awareness comes the opportunity to then mindfully choose how to respond to the pain in a way that reduces stress and is most helpful or adaptive.

Group II: Hypnotic Cognitive Therapy (HYP-CT) conditionExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants randomized to this arm will be taught about the role of hypnosis to reduce pain, increase comfort and well-being, and to instill and reinforce healthy, adaptive cognitions. This technique will help participants to use their ability to enter a state of focused attention to then increase their acceptance of new adaptive ideas about pain provided both by (1) clinicians during sessions and on audio recordings, as well as (2) the participants themselves during self-hypnosis practice.

Group III: Usual Care (UC) Control Group conditionActive Control1 Intervention

In the Usual Care condition, participants will not participate in a study treatment, but rather they will continue with their usual care for chronic pain and will complete the seven study assessment sets. At the end of the study, after the final 6-month follow-up assessment period, participants will be given the opportunity to receive any one of the three treatments that they would like as part of an open label phase of the study UNLESS participants have developed new problems that would make them ineligible.

Group IV: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) conditionActive Control1 Intervention

Participants randomized to this arm will be taught about the role of cognitions (particularly pain catastrophizing), pain beliefs (including perceived control), and maladaptive or unhelpful coping behaviors in chronic pain. This technique will help participants: (1) identify and change or restructure unhelpful or negative thinking about pain; (2) utilize positive coping strategies including positive coping self-statements; relaxation techniques; behavioral activation (including setting goals for activation), activity pacing and scheduling; and (3) cope with pain flare-ups.

Treatment

First Studied

Drug Approval Stage

How many patients have taken this drug

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

2014

N/A

~180

0 / 3Eligibility criteria met