Pain-acceptance training for adults with chronic somatic pain and emotional distress
Pain Acceptance Training in Patients Experiencing Emotional Distress and Somatic Symptoms: Examination of Dialectical Thinking as a Mediating Factor
This program will try a pain-acceptance training based on dialectical thinking to see if it reduces somatic pain and emotional distress in adults whose chronic pain interferes with daily life.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 70 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Haifa Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Haifa and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07067619 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Persistent somatic symptoms such as chronic pain are common and often respond poorly to conventional psychotherapies. This interventional study delivers a pain-acceptance training grounded in dialectical behavior therapy principles, teaching participants to both acknowledge the wish to end pain and cultivate acceptance of pain as it is. Adults aged 18–70 who report significant pain that interferes with daily functioning and elevated emotional distress will receive the intervention and be followed for changes in somatic pain and functioning. The study will also measure dialectical thinking to test whether increases in this cognitive style mediate any treatment effects.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults 18–70 with significant somatic pain that interferes with daily life and elevated emotional distress who can provide informed consent and do not meet exclusion criteria are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with low recent pain or low distress scores, active psychotic symptoms, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, eating disorders, immediate suicide risk, or recent major treatment changes are excluded and unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could reduce physical pain and emotional distress and improve daily functioning by increasing acceptance and coping flexibility.
How similar studies have performed: A few prior studies of DBT-like interventions suggest increases in dialectical thinking can improve coping and attention, but applying pain-acceptance training specifically to somatic symptoms is relatively novel with limited evidence.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Men and Women 2. Aged 18-70 3. Able to provide a signed informed consent 4. Experiencing significant pain symptoms that interfere with daily-life functioning 5. Experiencing significant emotional distress symptoms Exclusion Criteria: Patients under the age of 18 and/or diagnosed with one or more of the following diagnoses will be excluded from participation in the study: 1. Patients rating their average pain in the last week and in the last month as less than 3 in a 0-10 numerical rating scale (i.e. NPS) 2. Patients rating their emotional distress levels as less than 25 in a 10-50 numerical rating scale (i.e. Kessler Psychological Distress Scale \[K10\]) 3. Patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders and/or suffering from psychotic symptoms. 4. Patients diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorder. 5. Patients diagnosed with Intellectual disability. 6. Patients diagnosed with eating disorders. 7. Patients with Immediate suicidal risk. 8. Patients who initiated a new drug and/or psychotherapy treatment within the last month. 9. Pregnant women. 10. Patients currently serving in the IDF.
Where this trial is running
Haifa and 1 other locations
- Psychiatric Division, Rambam Health Care Campus — Haifa, Israel (Recruiting)
- University of Haifa — Haifa, Israel (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Sulamit Grinapol
- Email: s_grinapol@rambam.health.gov.il
- Phone: +972 047771718
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.