Emotional awareness and expression therapy for veterans with chronic pain
Official title: A Pragmatic Trial of Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy for Veterans with Chronic Pain
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11592202 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pragmatic trial will test EAET, a psychological treatment, for veterans who have chronic pain and related mental health symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,622,789 |
| NIH project number | 4UH3AT013497-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11592202 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans with chronic pain who receive care in participating VA healthcare systems and have comorbid trauma or mental health symptoms.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not experiencing significant distress or those not enrolled in participating VA sites may see limited or no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests how EAET works when delivered by clinicians in real-world VA settings, across seven health systems. It aims to train clinicians and evaluate how EAET affects pain, mood, and PTSD symptoms in veterans with chronic pain. The study emphasizes practicality, usual-care conditions, and diverse clinical teams to see how well EAET fits into everyday care. Results could show whether EAET improves daily functioning and reduces pain and distress for veterans in typical clinics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, veterans with chronic pain and co-occurring trauma may experience less pain and better mental health through a widely available therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Prior trials in veterans and civilians showed EAET can reduce pain and mental health symptoms, with some trials favoring EAET over CBT in specific contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yarns, Brandon C — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Yarns, Brandon C
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Motor cortex tricks to ease chronic pain
A study in rodents and people tests whether non-invasive brain stimulation of the motor cortex can reduce chronic pain and how best to target it.
-
Human pain center study to map normal and migraine-trigeminal neurons
A large NIH-funded project will map and study the human trigeminal neurons involved in migraines to understand what changes in these cells during headache conditions.
-
Understanding human pain neurons to improve migraine care
Researchers are studying human pain-sensing neurons to uncover what makes migraine start and persist, with the goal of better treatments for people who experience migraines.
-
Whole Person Pain Algorithm to personalize chronic pain care
A new, evidence-based model helps explain why chronic low back pain affects people differently and could guide personalized diagnosis and treatment.
-
Understanding how to use pharmacogenomic testing to guide chronic pain care
This grant looks at how doctors who treat long‑term pain decide when and how to use genetic testing to tailor pain medicines for safer and more effective care.
-
Mindfulness and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults
This grant tests non-drug ways like mindfulness and self-hypnosis to help people over 60 manage chronic pain.
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.