The Feasibility, Potential Efficacy, and Experiences of Using a Group-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Among Older People With Chronic Low Back Pain

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Chronic Low-back Pain

Treatments: Behavioral: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT); Behavioral: back exercise

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05919446

HSEARS20230104002

Details and patient eligibility

About

No study has investigated the effects of ACT on community-dwelling Chinese older adults. Given that clinical practice guidelines have recommended exercise therapy for treating people with CLBP, a combination of ACT and exercise therapy may yield better clinical outcomes than exercise alone among community-dwelling older adults with CLBP. A double-blinded (participants and statistician) pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted to evaluate the feasibility and the relative effects of ACT plus back exercise training as compared to exercise alone in improving psychological flexibility, physical wellbeing, and quality of life of community-dwelling older people with CLBP. Further, a qualitative research study will be conducted to understand the experiences of participating in ACT and back exercise training in older people with CLBP (including identifying facilitators and barriers to participation).

Full description

Participants will be recruited from rehabilitation clinics, or community centres by posters posted in these locations. A total of 30 older people with LBP will be recruited and randomized into either a 4-week ACT plus back exercise group, or a back exercise control group. Immediately after the 4-week treatment, participants will be invited to complete another set of questionnaires that are identical to their baseline questionnaires to evaluate the effects of interventions on their pain, physical function, psychological wellbeing, and quality of life. At 3-month post-treatment, participants will be invited to complete the identical questionnaires again.

Enrollment: 30 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 60+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. have non-specific LBP in or near the lumbosacral spine with or without leg pain that lasts for at least 3-months in the last 12 months
2. have sought some medical or healthcare professional treatments for CLBP
3. able to read and write at an adequate level of proficiency in Chinese
4. Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) scores 23 or above

Exclusion criteria

1. people with malignant pain or lumbar spinal stenosis
2. confirmed dementia
3. severe cognitive impairment
4. serious psychiatric or psychological disorders
5. Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) scores below 23

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Older people with ACT intervention

Experimental group

Description:

4 week ACT plus back exercise group

Treatment:

Behavioral: back exercise

Behavioral: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

Older people without ACT intervention

Other group

Description:

4-week back exercise control group

Treatment:

Behavioral: back exercise