An adaptive plan to help pain after CBT for insomnia in people with chronic back pain
Official title: An Adaptive Intervention to Improve Pain Outcomes Following Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Patients with Comorbid Chronic Low Back Pain and Insomnia
Funded at University of Virginia · NIH-11332862 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-facing program will test a supplemental, hopeful approach added to standard CBT for insomnia to see if it can reduce pain for people who have chronic low back pain and insomnia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $796,324 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AT013240-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11332862 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with chronic low back pain and insomnia who do not achieve meaningful pain relief after initial CBTi.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose pain does not respond to the adjunct intervention or who cannot participate in follow-up assessments may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project builds on CBT for insomnia, adding a mechanistically informed adjunct to help patients whose pain does not respond to CBTi alone. It will enroll adults with chronic low back pain and insomnia and randomize them to receive the additional intervention alongside CBTi, with careful tracking of sleep, mood, and pain outcomes over time. The study uses objective and patient-reported measures to understand how positive affect might link sleep and pain and whether this improves daily function. If successful, the approach could offer a new, targeted option for people whose chronic back pain and insomnia have been hard to treat.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may experience greater pain relief and better sleep, improving daily functioning and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests positive affect can reduce pain and buffer sleep-related pain effects, but this specific adjunct to CBTi in CLBP/insomnia is novel and under study.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Finan, Patrick — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Finan, Patrick
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.