Emotional therapy for people with ongoing pain after orthopedic injuries

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This trial aims to assess the feasibility of Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET) for individuals suffering from persistent pain following orthopedic trauma. Participants will attend weekly EAET sessions and undergo various assessments, including questionnaires and sensory testing, before, after, and during follow-up. The study addresses the psychological distress often accompanying orthopedic injuries, such as depression and anxiety, which can exacerbate pain and disability. By targeting emotional regulation related to traumatic events, EAET may provide a novel approach to improving both pain and mood in this population.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* One or more acute orthopedic injuries
* The patient sustained an orthopedic injury including, but not limited to:

  * Pelvic or acetabulum fracture
  * Open/displaced comminuted fracture of long bones
  * Upper extremity injuries with a major nerve involvement
  * Injuries with significant injuries to major blood vessels
  * Traumatic amputation of big toe, thumb, or proximal to the wrist or ankle.
* Initial admission to the trauma or orthopedic center/service of the participating hospital OR all necessary screening and patient characteristic data available in medical record (determination based on information available at time of enrollment)
* 18 years old or older
* Received operative fixation for at least one acute orthopaedic injury at a participating hospital. Patients should be recruited at the time of primary injury, not revision or complication surgery
* Average Brief Pain Inventory Score \> 3/10
* Presence of pain most days (\> 3 days/week) for past three months

Exclusion Criteria:

* peri-prosthetic fractures of the femur (regardless of etiology)
* non-ambulatory due to an associated spinal cord injury
* non-ambulatory pre-injury
* currently pregnant
* moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), as evidenced by intracranial hemorrhage present on admission CT
* major amputation(s) of the upper or lower extremities
* non-English speaking
* Likely to have severe problems with maintaining follow-up for any of the following reasons:

  * The patient has been diagnosed with a severe psychiatric conditions
  * The patient has current alcohol and/or drug addiction based on medical record or patient self-report.
  * The patient is intellectually challenged without adequate family support
  * The patient lives outside the hospital's catchment area
  * The patient follow-up is planned at another medical center
  * The patient is a prisoner
  * The patient is homeless
  * Other

Where it's running

• Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
  Baltimore, Maryland, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Rachel Aaron, PhD — Johns Hopkins University
• Study coordinator: Rachel Aaron, PhD
• Email: raaron4@jhmi.edu
• Phone: 410-502-2428

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.