Therapeutic Writing Intervention in Pain Rehabilitation
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 撤回
- 发起方
- 入组人数
- 5
- 试验地点
- 1
- 主要终点
- Health-Related Experiences of Participants
研究概览
简要总结
The goal of this observational study is to understand the effects and experiences of therapeutic writing interventions in adult women with chronic pain and co-occurring mental health conditions. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Can therapeutic writing help relieve chronic pain and emotional distress?
How does writing support emotional processing, regulation, and meaning-making during rehabilitation?
Participants will take part in a two-part writing intervention involving:
Guided writing exercises that focus on emotional processing, emotion regulation, and creating meaning.
Individual interviews after the writing sessions to explore their experiences.
The study uses qualitative analysis methods-phenomenology and logotherapy-to better understand how these writing interventions may support recovery, improve well-being, and offer non-pharmacological tools for managing chronic pain and mental health challenges.
详细描述
Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of the global population and represents one of the most widespread causes of disability worldwide. Individuals living with chronic pain often experience additional mental health challenges-such as depression, anxiety, or trauma-related disorders-which compound their suffering and reduce quality of life. Traditional pain management strategies often focus on physical symptoms, while the emotional and psychological dimensions may remain under-addressed.
This study aims to explore the potential of therapeutic writing-a psychological intervention that encourages participants to express and process emotions through guided writing exercises-as a complementary approach for improving health and well-being in individuals with both chronic pain and mental health conditions.
The study is being conducted at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of Satasairaala Hospital in Finland and involves five adult female participants with chronic pain and comorbid psychiatric conditions. Each participant will engage in a two-part writing intervention that incorporates techniques grounded in emotional processing, emotion regulation, and meaning-making. These exercises are designed to help individuals articulate their internal experiences, explore the personal impact of pain and illness, and foster a sense of psychological coherence.
Data collection spans two sub-studies:
Sub-studies 1 and 2 involve qualitative interviews with participants following the intervention, capturing their firsthand experiences and perceived effects.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Na
- 干预模型
- Single Group
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- None
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 18 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- Female
- 接受健康志愿者
- 否
入选标准
- •Adult women (18 years or older), assigned female at birth and self-identify as women
- •Diagnosed with or experience of chronic, widespread (non-cancer) pain lasting at least two years
- •Diagnosed with or living with one or more mild mental health disorders (e.g., anxiety, mild depression), without current or past severe psychiatric conditions
- •Diagnosed with or experience of nociplastic pain (e.g., fibromyalgia)
- •Not currently using medications that may impair cognitive functioning (e.g., benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, opioids, antipsychotics)
- •Able to attend approximately 11 in-person visits over a 3-month period
- •Willing and able to participate in a structured therapeutic writing intervention
- •Purposefully selected to reflect a range of lived experiences relevant to the study's aims
排除标准
- •Presence of severe mental health disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, or other psychotic conditions)
- •Use of medications known to impair memory, attention, or decision-making (e.g., benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, opioids, antipsychotics)
- •Participation in other concurrent treatments that may influence study outcomes
- •Cognitive limitations that would hinder meaningful engagement in the writing intervention
- •Individuals not assigned female at birth or who do not identify as women
研究组 & 干预措施
Therapeutic Writing Intervention in Pain Rehabilitation
Participants in this single-arm study will take part in a structured therapeutic writing intervention as part of a multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation program at the Pain Clinic of Satasairaala Hospital. The study spans approximately three months and includes around 11 clinic visits. The intervention is delivered in two phases: first, four consecutive daily writing sessions (20 minutes each), followed by four weekly sessions (30-60 minutes each). Prior to the intervention, participants are assessed for eligibility by the clinic's multidisciplinary team and interviewed by the principal investigator. Post-intervention, participants are interviewed twice to explore their health-related experiences with the writing process.
干预措施: Therapeutic Writing Intervention in Pain Rehabilitation (Other)
结局指标
主要结局
Health-Related Experiences of Participants
时间窗: Baseline (prior to intervention), immediately post-intervention (Week 5), and 3 months post-intervention (Week 17)
Description: Qualitative themes identified from semi-structured interviews exploring participants' perceived health-related changes following the writing intervention, including emotional processing, emotion regulation, and meaning-making. Unit of Measure: Thematic categories derived from qualitative content analysis. Time Frame: Data will be collected through semi-structured interviews conducted at three time points: prior to the writing intervention (baseline), immediately after the final writing session (Week 5), and three months after the intervention (Week 17).
次要结局
- Perceived Impact on Emotion Regulation(Baseline (prior to intervention), immediately post-intervention (Week 5), and 3 months post-intervention (Week 17))
- Themes of Meaning-Making and Future Orientation Identified Through Qualitative Interview Analysis(Baseline (prior to intervention), immediately post-intervention (Week 5), and 3 months post-intervention (Week 17))
研究者
Toni Salikka
MA, PhD Candidate
Tampere University