Preliminary Test of an Integrative Intervention to Alleviate Chronic Pain and Improve Quality of Life
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Chronic Pain
- Sponsor
- Wayne State University
- Enrollment
- 48
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in Quality of Life
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 8 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
Chronic pain is a costly public health problem that is associated with poor quality of life. Previous research has demonstrated extensive evidence showing that pain coping is not manifested by patients in isolation but within the context of significant relationships such as marriage. For instance, a partner may avoid or reject their partners' negative emotions about pain, provide unempathic responses to their partners' pain, or change their thoughts about pain. The patient's pain experience and the couples' relationship also have a cyclical relationship, in which both can affect each other and the overall quality of life for both partners. Currently, current clinical practice does not target both partners to alleviate pain. This is highly problematic given that a number of chronic pain patients-those with interpersonal distress-often do not complete, and thus, do not benefit fully from existing treatments. Even if treatment is completed, individuals may not maintain improvements if they return to distressed social environments that undermine individual coping efforts. Thus, it is clear that new interventions derived from integrative models of individual and dyadic coping are needed to alleviate pain and suffering in patients who are at risk for poor treatment outcomes. This research study aims to develop a novel psychological intervention aimed at couples in which one partner has chronic pain. Our central hypothesis is that a theoretically integrative intervention that improves both partners' psychological flexibility (i.e., acceptance, mindfulness, values-based action) and relational flexibility (i.e., emotional disclosure, empathic responding) skills will be feasible and valid and that it will alleviate pain and improve quality of life. This is a departure from current practice, which focuses solely on the patient's individual functioning, does not address the spouse's psychological inflexibility, and does not address relationship issues.
Investigators
Annmarie Cano
Professor; Associate Chair
Wayne State University
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •At least one spouse with some pain interference.
- •Relationship dissatisfaction.
- •Both partners at least 21 years old.
- •Couples must also be married or cohabitating for at least 2 years regardless of sexual orientation to participate in the study.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Current suicidal or homicidal ideation or intent
- •Current psychotic symptoms
- •Cognitive impairment
- •Malignancies (e.g., cancer) in either partner
- •Current domestic violence
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in Quality of Life
Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks
Satisfaction with Life Scale
Change in Relationship Satisfaction
Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks
Dyadic Adjustment Scale; Dyadic Adjustment Scale-7
Change in Depressive Symptoms from Baseline to 1-month Followup
Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks
Beck Depression Inventory-II
Change in Sleep Quality
Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks
PROMIS Sleep Disturbance and Sleep-related Impairment Scales
Change in Pain Quality
Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks
McGill Pain Questionnaire
Change in Pain Intensity
Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks
Visual Rating Scale, Multidimensional Pain Inventory, Brief Pain Inventory
Change in Perceived Improvement
Time Frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks
Patient Global Impression of Change
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in Anxiety and Catastrophizing about Pain(Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks)
- Change in Dispositional Empathy(Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks)
- Change in Emotional Expression(Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks)
- Change in Emotional Validation and Invalidation(Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks)
- Change in Partner-perceived Empathy(Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks)
- Change in Mindfulness(Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks)
- Change in Acceptance of Chronic Pain(Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks)
- Change in Values-Based Action(Participants will be followed for the duration of the intervention and followup period, an expected average of 10 weeks)