Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Exercise for Older Adults With Chronic Pain

The University of Hong Kong (HKU)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Art; Psychosocial Intervention; Older Adults; Chronic Pain; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Exercise

Treatments: Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Other: Treatment as usual; Other: Exercise; Other: Art

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05528536

EA200132

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this trial is to learn if combining Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and exercise works to reduce pain intensity, pain interference, and depressive symptoms in older adults with chronic pain and depressive symptoms.

Researchers will compare ACT + exercise intervention (ACEx) to ACT + art intervention (Art+Ex) and usual care to see if ACT + exercise intervention works to reduce pain intensity, pain interference, and depressive symptoms.

Participants will receive ACEx program, Art+Ex program, or usual care for 8 weeks and complete tests before and after the programs.

Enrollment: 163 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 60+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• age 60 years or above; and
• have depressive symptoms of mild level or above (PHQ > 5)
• have chronic pain (>3 months)
• able to give informed consent to participate

Exclusion criteria

• known history of autism, intellectual disability, schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, Parkinson's disease, or dementia
• (temporary exclusion criteria) imminent suicidal risk difficulty in communication
• have had stroke, fracture, cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular surgery, artery disease, surgery on vertebrae, and knee replacement in the past 6 months
• physical activity prohibited by a medical professional

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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163 participants in 3 patient groups

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exercise

Experimental group

Description:

This group receives eight weeks' Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and exercise intervention.

Treatment:

Other: Exercise

Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Art and Exercise

Sham Comparator group

Description:

This group receives eight weeks' art workshops (skill-based) and exercise intervention.

Treatment:

Other: Art

Other: Exercise

Treatment as usual

Active Comparator group

Description:

This group receives treatment as usual in the local community setting.

Treatment:

Other: Treatment as usual