Resilience coaching for teens with chronic pain

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Resilience Coaching for Adolescents With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

Not applicable Interventional Children's Hospital of Philadelphia · NCT05834725

This study is testing a resilience coaching program to see if it helps teens with chronic pain feel better and cope better with their condition.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment260 (estimated)
Ages12 Years to 17 Years
SexAll
SponsorChildren's Hospital of Philadelphia Academic / other
Locations1 site (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Trial IDNCT05834725 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This clinical trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a resilience coaching program called Promoting Resilience in Stress Management (PRISM) for adolescents suffering from chronic musculoskeletal pain. The study will involve 130 youth participants and their caregivers, who will be randomly assigned to either receive the PRISM intervention alongside usual care or just usual care alone. Over approximately 12 weeks, participants will engage in resilience coaching sessions and complete surveys to assess improvements in pain intensity, psychological distress, and functional disability. The study also seeks to identify which adolescents benefit most from resilience coaching and the barriers to its implementation in clinical settings.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents aged 12-17 who have been newly diagnosed with chronic musculoskeletal pain lasting three months or more.

Not a fit: Patients with isolated head or abdominal pain, complex regional pain syndrome, or those currently receiving cognitive behavioral therapy may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could provide adolescents with effective coping strategies to manage chronic pain and improve their overall quality of life.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in using resilience coaching for chronic pain management, indicating potential for success in this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* ages 12-17 years,
* newly diagnosed with chronic musculoskeletal pain, defined as bone, joint, muscle, or related soft tissue pain lasting ≥ 3 months
* willing to provide informed consent/assent
* one caregiver willing to consent and participate in dyad
* dyad identifies English as primary language
* mild or greater impairment due to pain (defined as Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Pain Interference T-score ≥ 60 at time of last clinic visit and/or self- or parent- reported impairment of activities of daily living due to pain at time of screening)

Exclusion Criteria:

* unable to provide assent and/or without a legal guardian able to provide consent for the study subject or themselves
* isolated/localized head pain or abdominal pain
* complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
* Receiving cognitive behavioral therapy at time of screening

Where this trial is running

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Pain, ChronicPain SyndromePsychologicalresilience coachingchronic musculoskeletal pain
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.