SPACE parent program for youth with chronic pain
Development of a Parent Training Intervention for Pediatric Patients With Pain
This program tests a group parent-training approach to see if parents of 10–17-year-olds with chronic pain find it practical and helpful.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 48 (estimated) |
| Ages | 10 Years to 17 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Palo Alto, California and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07425691 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational project tests the feasibility and acceptability of Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions - Pain (SPACE), a group-based parent training intervention for parents of youth aged 10–17 with chronic pain. Parents attend group sessions at either Children's Hospital of Philadelphia or Stanford Children's Health while researchers track engagement and satisfaction. Secondary outcomes include changes in child functional impairment, reported pain intensity, and parental accommodation behaviors. Eligibility requires English fluency and a parent who lives with the child at least half the time, and excludes children whose pain is better explained by another medical condition or who have severe psychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are English-speaking parents who live with a 10–17-year-old who has had chronic pain for three months or more with associated functional impairment and who are not currently receiving individual CBT for pain.
Not a fit: Patients whose pain is primarily due to another medical condition, children with severe psychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders, caregivers with barriers to participation, or families already in individual CBT for pain may not receive benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help parents change how they respond to their child's pain and lead to improved child functioning and reduced pain-related interference.
How similar studies have performed: Prior parent-focused interventions for pediatric chronic pain have shown promise in reducing parental accommodation and improving child function, but applying the SPACE protocol specifically for pain is a newer approach with limited prior testing.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Children aged 10-17 with chronic pain (≥3 months) and associated functional impairment * Parent/guardian living with the child ≥50% of the time * Parent and child are fluent in English Exclusion Criteria: * Pain better explained by another medical condition * History of psychosis, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorder, or intellectual disability (child) * Current emotional, cognitive, or physical barrier to participation for caregiver, as determined by clinical judgment of study personnel * Severe psychiatric symptoms requiring immediate intervention * Ongoing individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for pain
Where this trial is running
Palo Alto, California and 1 other locations
- Stanford Children's Health — Palo Alto, California, United States (Not_yet_recruiting)
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Christina Murphy, PhD — Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Christina Murphy, PhD
- Email: murphyc11@chop.edu
- Phone: 215-590-6577
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.